Fuelling our movement: Understanding how carbohydrates influence motor skills?

Understanding the acquisition and adaptation of motor skills and appropriate neuromuscular performance is important for the entire health and disease spectrum, from preventing falls in the elderly to optimal sports performance in athletes. Although popular sense suggests the type and timing of nutrition can affect motor performance, there is very limited research indicating what dietary strategies could improve or hinder the quality of our movements and the ability to improve our motor skills.

Carbohydrates are a major fuel source during both sports performance and many normal daily activities. Accordingly, without appropriate carbohydrate intake endogenous carbohydrate stores can be depleted. Since carbohydrates are the major fuel source during moderate to high-intensity exercise, it is likely that ingesting carbohydrates before and/or during exercise may improve neuromuscular skills and therefore improve motor skill acquisition.

Aim
The overall aim of this studentship will be to understand whether the type and timing of carbohydrate ingestion in relation to exercise influences movement performance and coordination.

The successful applicant will gain expertise in a number of biomechanics, motor control, and computer simulation techniques and will also have the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues of Dr Preatoni and Dr Gonzalez in and outside the University of Bath.