This seminar is part of the GHUCCTS KL2 Visiting Scholars Seminar Series. GHUCCTS will host Dr. Brooke Dexheimer of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Dr. Dexheimer will present on the Underlying Mechanisms of Handedness and Their Implications for Parkinson’s Disease.

Brooke Dexheimer, PhD, OTD, OTR/L

Dr. Dexheimer is an Assistant Professor and Occupational Therapist in the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Department of Occupational Therapy. She directs the VCU NERDD Lab (Novel Environments for Reducing Disability & Dysfunction), investigating basic mechanisms of motor control and their translational implications for motor symptomatology in Parkinson’s Disease.

Abstract

Handedness is often attributed to a global motor control superiority for the dominant hand. However, evidence now suggests that the dominant and non-dominant hands are each specialized for different aspects of motor control, based on hemispheric specializations. This talk will discuss the evidence supporting this hypothesis and our work investigating lateralized mechanisms of motor control using non-invasive neuromodulation. Additionally, this talk will discuss our recent work translating these findings to characterize lateralized early-stage motor symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease.

Sponsored by the Georgetown-Howard  Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science (GHUCCTS) and its partner institutions (Georgetown and Howard Universities, MedStar   Health   Research Institute, the Washington DC    VAMC, and Oak Ridge  National Lab) to bring together our diverse clinical and research communities to share research that spans disciplines and stages of translation to improve individual and community health.

For more information, please contact Cyndi.Campbell@georgetown.edu