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Dr N Jenkinson
Prof RC Miall
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (European/UK Students Only)
About the Project
Research interests/description of main research theme:
Project
A gradual decline in motor performance is an inevitable consequence of increasing age. This is due to several factors that include, but are not limited to, central neuronal loss, sensory decline and peripheral changes. Given the increasing elderly population, interventions that will help improve or prolong good motor function into old age could be key to improving the independence, health and well-being of the ageing population.
The aim of this PhD is to explore the use transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) to improve upper limb use in the elderly. TDCS is a form of brain stimulation which is non-invasive, safe, painless and simple to apply. TDCS can be used to excite targeted brain areas by passing a low electrical current through the brain. This type of stimulation has been shown to improve motor performance and motor learning in both elderly and younger people. We want to now thoroughly investigate how TDCS improves motor control of the upper limbs in older people. We will use TDCS in combination with lab based motor tests of various aspects of upper limb control: for example, coordination, movement speed and accuracy. These tests will be carried out on groups of young, middle aged and elderly participants, in order to capture the changes that take place with advanced age.
The outcomes of the study will show which aspects of sensorimotor control can be best improved with the application of TDCS (and to what limits), and will provide the evidence base for the use of TDCS as an intervention for improving upper limb function in old age.
Person Specification
Applicants should have a strong background in sensorimotor neuroscience and interest in the control of human movement, and should ideally have experience in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. They should have a commitment to research in the neuroscience of motor control and hold or realistically expect to obtain at least an Upper Second Class Honours Degree in neuroscience or related subject.
How to apply
Informal enquiries should be directed to [Email Address Removed]
Applications should be directed to Dr Lisa Fuller (email [Email Address Removed] ).
To apply, please send:
• A detailed CV, including your nationality and country of birth;
• Names and addresses of two referees;
• A covering letter stating the project you are applying for and highlighting your research experience/capabilities
Interviews will take place on Tuesday the 6th of March 2018
Project
A gradual decline in motor performance is an inevitable consequence of increasing age. This is due to several factors that include, but are not limited to, central neuronal loss, sensory decline and peripheral changes. Given the increasing elderly population, interventions that will help improve or prolong good motor function into old age could be key to improving the independence, health and well-being of the ageing population.
The aim of this PhD is to explore the use transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) to improve upper limb use in the elderly. TDCS is a form of brain stimulation which is non-invasive, safe, painless and simple to apply. TDCS can be used to excite targeted brain areas by passing a low electrical current through the brain. This type of stimulation has been shown to improve motor performance and motor learning in both elderly and younger people. We want to now thoroughly investigate how TDCS improves motor control of the upper limbs in older people. We will use TDCS in combination with lab based motor tests of various aspects of upper limb control: for example, coordination, movement speed and accuracy. These tests will be carried out on groups of young, middle aged and elderly participants, in order to capture the changes that take place with advanced age.
The outcomes of the study will show which aspects of sensorimotor control can be best improved with the application of TDCS (and to what limits), and will provide the evidence base for the use of TDCS as an intervention for improving upper limb function in old age.
Person Specification
Applicants should have a strong background in sensorimotor neuroscience and interest in the control of human movement, and should ideally have experience in non-invasive brain stimulation techniques. They should have a commitment to research in the neuroscience of motor control and hold or realistically expect to obtain at least an Upper Second Class Honours Degree in neuroscience or related subject.
How to apply
Informal enquiries should be directed to [Email Address Removed]
Applications should be directed to Dr Lisa Fuller (email [Email Address Removed] ).
To apply, please send:
• A detailed CV, including your nationality and country of birth;
• Names and addresses of two referees;
• A covering letter stating the project you are applying for and highlighting your research experience/capabilities
Interviews will take place on Tuesday the 6th of March 2018
Funding Notes
• 3-year funded studentship through the MRC-ARUK Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research (CMAR). Students should have home or EU status: and have been 'ordinarily resident' in the UK for 3 years prior to the start of the studentship to be eligible for the full award (tuition fees, research support costs, and a tax-free stipend at the Research Council rate). Applicants who have been 'ordinarily resident' in another EU member state may be eligible for a fees only award. Please see RCUK terms and conditions for further information.
This studentship is full-time and will begin on 1st of October 2018
This studentship is full-time and will begin on 1st of October 2018
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Career overview
Dr Ned Jenkinson holds an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from University College London, where he also completed a PhD in Neuroscience under the supervision of Mitch Glickstein, focusing on the role of the cerebellum in the sensory guidance of movement. Following his studies at UCL, he moved to Vanderbilt University in Tennessee to learn electrophysiological techniques in the laboratory of Michael Armstrong-James, working under Ford Ebner. Dr Jenkinson then returned to cerebellar research with Chris Miall at the University of Oxford. At Oxford, he worked in the Nuffield Departments of Surgery and Clinical Neurosciences with Tipu Aziz, where he studied deep brain stimulation (DBS). During this time, he developed new targets and techniques for DBS and had the unique opportunity to record electrical activity from deep within the brains of patients via DBS electrodes, contributing to the understanding of how the Basal ganglia controls movements. Dr Jenkinson established his own research group at Oxford and left as an associate professor to join the University of Birmingham as a senior lecturer in Human Movement Sciences. He currently serves as the Deputy Head of Research in the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences.
Research interests
Dr Jenkinson''s research incorporates a range of techniques including non-invasive brain stimulation, electrophysiological recording, eye-tracking, neuroimaging, and behavioural techniques. He investigates how the brain controls movement and how it allows for the effortless learning of new motor skills. His research aims to enhance understanding of brain control over movements and to comprehend how brain dysfunction leads to movement disorders such as Parkinson''s disease. His specific research interests include sensorimotor neuroscience, plasticity in the motor system, motor learning in individuals with degenerative diseases (e.g., Parkinson’s disease and cerebellar ataxia), mechanisms of non-invasive brain stimulation (such as transcranial magnetic and electrical stimulation) and its application to improving motor plasticity and learning in the elderly and those with degenerative brain diseases, as well as the role of oscillatory brain activity in motor control.
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