My research is intended to unravel the mechanisms by which the brain controls movement and learns new motor skills, and how dysfunction of these mechanisms produce the symptoms of neurological movement disorders.

We do this by studying the motor behaviour of healthy subjects, e.g. eye or arm movements, whilst we manipulate brain activity using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial current stimulation (TCS).  TMS and TCS are methods that allow us to temporarily excite or depress activity in the areas of the brain at which they are directed. Using these techniques we target motor areas of brain in order to examine how manipulation of an area effects the motor task being performed by the subject.

We also study the motor behaviour of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).  In some patients we simultaneously record the electrical activity of the brain from electrodes implanted during a therapeutic procedure called deep brain stimulation (DBS).  Such studies help us better understand the motor system as well as the pathological changes that take place in the brain to cause the symptoms of PD.  Ultimately the research will help develop and refine DBS and other treatments for PD.