Current Studies

Current projects include topics related to:

Aging

Assistive Technologies

Brain Injury

Aging

Mobility

Jonathan Bean, MD, MS
Dr. Bean has been investigating the effects of various kinds of physical activity on the strength, power, and functioning of the elderly. His current research focuses on identifying modifiable impairments underlying mobility decline in the elderly, as well as developing rehabilitative interventions to prevent mobility related disability. The work is funded through career development awards from both the American Geriatrics Society and the National Institute on Aging.

Cardiovascular Research

J. Andrew Taylor, PhD
The cardiovascular research program is focused on the study of changes in cardiovascular function associated with healthy aging and age related diseases. Current studies are investigating the mechanisms of these changes as well as interventions such as exercise and statin treatment to prevent or overcome cardiovascular declines associated with coronary artery disease, heart failure, and stroke.

Assistive Technologies

Electronic Memory Aids

Murdo Dowds, PhD
Dr. Dowds is working on a "Research Project to Assess the Extent of Usage of Assistive Technology by Children and Adults with TBI and Adults with Mental Retardation." The study, funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the University of Akron, is investigating whether PDA-based electronic memory aids can help individuals with a history of traumatic brain injury to improve their memory as well as their ability to reliably complete tasks.

Visible Light Orientation Systems

David Burke, MD
Dr. Burke is working with Talking Lights, LLC on a project funded by NIH entitled "Healthcare Electro-Optical Assistive Locator." The study looks at the reliability of a hospital integrated visible light orientation system to provide needed reminders and cues for patients in the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

Brain-Computer Interfaces

Leigh Hochberg, MD, PhD
Dr. Hochberg is working on the BrainGate Neural Interface System to determine whether individuals with quadriplegia might be able to control a computer cursor by thought alone. The studies are recruiting people with spinal cord injury, brainstem stroke, muscular dystrophy, and ALS.

Brain Injury

Traumatic Brain Injury Model System

Mel Glenn, MD
David Burke, MD
Gary Strangman, PhD
Therese O'Neil-Pirozzi, ScD

Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital has been awarded a five-year Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems (TBIMS) grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR), U.S. Department of Education. The grant supports the participation of Spaulding in a nationwide database collecting a broad variety of data from TBI patients to build a better understanding of the dynamics of this condition. Spaulding TBI research also includes comparing functional imaging during use of a memory strategy in people with TBI, evaluating the ability of functional imaging in people with TBI to predict the outcome of a memory rehabilitation program, and analyzing the association between cerebral cortical volume and memory, and study outcomes of people with both TBI and SCI.

Details at: TBI Model Systems

Burn Survivors

Jeffery Schneider, MD
Dr. Schneider is conducting a study examining the effects of a large-scale fire on the survivor population. He is looking particularly at the medicinal, psychological, social, occupational, functional and legal impacts of the fire on its survivors.

Cerebral Palsy

Susan Fasoli, OT., ScD
Dr. Fasoli has received funding from the Charles Hood Foundation for a two-year project entitled, "Upper Limb Rehabilitation Robotics for Children with Cerebral Palsy." This project tests robotic therapy designed to improve movement abilities in children with cerebral palsy.

Integrative Medicine

Eric Leskowitz, MD
Dr. Leskowitz has received a grant from the Langeloth Foundation for a two-year project on integrative (or complementary and alternative) medicine. This project consists of initiatives in education, training, research and clinical care. A pilot study on the effectiveness of energy healing in chronic pain is underway, as well as a patient survey to determine level of interest in integrative medicine, and an inventory of staff expertise in different integrative medicine specialties.

Motion Analysis

Paolo Bonato, PhD
Spaulding's Motion Analysis Laboratory combines laboratory and field assessments to enhance mobility in individuals with mobility limiting conditions caused by age, illness, or trauma. Research topics include cerebral palsy, enhancing balance impairment, treatment of drop foot, gait retraining for victims of stroke and brain injury, restoration of gait to amputees, and biomechanical analysis of Tae Kwan Do.

Spinal Cord Injury

Leslie Morse, DO
Shanker Nesathurai, MD

Dr. Morse is working on project funded by NIH and the Albert Einstein Healthcare Network entitled "Neuro-Osteogenic Interactions Following Spinal Cord Injury". The purpose of this project is to investigate the pathophysiology of bone loss associated with human neurological disorders, including spinal cord injury.

Dr. Nesathurai received a research gift from The Lynch Foundation. With this gift Dr. Neasthurai has been involved in primate research with the New England Primate Research Center.

Stroke

Joel Stein, MD
Dr. Stein is carrying out research in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital to explore the basis for occurrence of stroke, together with state-of-the-art therapeutic interventions in stroke rehabilitation.

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TBI Model Systems

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