Perceptual Motor Integration Lab

The Perceptual Motor Integration Lab lab seeks to establish how our nervous system uses sensory information to inform motor control and learning. These findings are applied to the design of technology, novel rehabilitation programs and future theoretical research.

Objectives

The Perceptual Motor Integration Lab (PMI) aims to establish how multisensory information can facilitate performance of skilled actions and apply these findings to the design of technology, novel rehabilitation programs, and future theoretical research. These findings lead to advancements in interventions that are cost-effective and have the ability to accurately track changes in motor performance across the lifespan.

Address

  • 234 Investors Group Athletic Centre
    University of Manitoba
    Winnipeg, MB
    R3T 2N2

Perceptual Motor Integration Lab

Areas of focus

Dr. Glazebrook and her students seek to understand how the nervous system integrates sensory information for motor control and learning in typically and atypically functioning sensorimotor systems, as can occur when one or more of the sensory systems has been disrupted. The findings from experiments in the PMI lab will increase the understanding of underlying neural processes for motor control and learning.

Key Areas of Research

  • Multisensory motor integration in the typically developing population
  • Sensorimotor integration in individuals on the Autism Spectrum
  • Assessment and intervention for individuals with developmental and neurological disorders
  • Rhythm's effect on movement for typically and atypically functioning sensorimotor systems

Current research projects

The Effects of Response Complexity and Cue Modality on Eye-Hand Coordination

This series of experiments examines the effects of audiovisual integration and movement complexity on eye-hand coordination with the use of eye-gaze technology and motion analysis for individuals with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Experiments such as these develop an understanding of how individuals with ASD interact with the world via social communication and pragmatic language skills (ie. how, when, and what we say and do in a given social interaction). This creates pathways for effective and meaningful training opportunities that will bridge the gap in current learning opportunity inequities for individuals with ASD.

Crossmodal Attention and Multiple Target Aiming

During everyday actions we are often faced with multiple possible objects or targets. Within this complex environment we use a range of visual, auditory and somatosensory cues to perform precise movements. This series of experiments systematically changes the modality and location of the targets, the cues that identify the final target as well as the presence of distracting cues in different modalities. By performing detailed analyses of the movement trajectories we can learn how humans are able to navigate busy and complex environments.

The Effect of Rhythmic Auditory Cueing on the Performance of Reaching Movements

Rhythmic cues (like a drumbeat) may help facilitate movement control, especially if actions are relatively challenging. This line of research has been exploring how and why rhythmic cues may be effective for improving movement performance. From the first experiment we learned that rhythmic cues during the movement planning phase specifically were beneficial for improving movement timing and accuracy for individuals with Cerebral Palsy. Upcoming experiments will determine if continuing the rhythm throughout the movement is more beneficial and what source of metronome is preferred.

Primary investigator

Cheryl Glazebrook, PhD

Dr. Glazebrook’s research program seeks to understand how the nervous system integrates information from different senses (e.g., sight, sound) to perform precise movements. She manipulates the accuracy and availability of visual, auditory, and somatosensory information in order to develop principles for using multisensory information to improve motor skill learning and performance. She is particularly interested in understanding the processes of multisensory-motor integration to develop an understanding of perceptual-motor performance in individuals with developmental disorders as well as neurological disorders and injuries.

Students

Jacqueline Ladwig

Jacqueline attained her B.A in Kinesiology from the University of Winnipeg in 2011 and a M.Sc. in Kinesiology (Motor Control and Learning) from the University of Manitoba in 2016. Jacqueline is currently a PhD candidate in the Applied Health Sciences PhD program at the University of Manitoba and teaches as a sessional instructor in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Winnipeg. Her thesis focuses on the relationship between auditory stimuli (rhythm) and reaching in adults living with neurodevelopmental disability from both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. Jacqueline is recipient of a Research Manitoba PhD Studentship (2017-19) and the Susan Wright Bell Award for the Study of Developmental Disabilities (2017). She was also the recipient of a University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowship for her Master’s studies (2013-2015).

Niyousha Mortaza

Niyousha is a PhD candidate in the program of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. She studies the effects of augmented somatosensory inputs on motor control, function and brain excitability. Her research is about designing and application of a wearable sensory assistive device for individuals with limb position sense deficiency. Niyousha received her B.Sc. and first M.Sc. in rehabilitation and more specifically Orthotics and Prosthetics from Iran University of Medical Sciences (Tehran). She started her career by working as a Certified Orthotist and Prosthetist in Tehran, and then as a sessional instructor at Tehran University of Medical Sciences. After leaving Tehran University, she started working as a research assistant at the University of Malaya in Malaysia. She completed her second M.Sc. in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Manitoba in 2016 where she explored the effectiveness of a novel rehabilitation device for individuals with an incomplete spinal cord injury.

Courtney Addison

Courtney Addison received her B.Kin. from the University of Manitoba and is currently pursuing her M.Sc. She is interested in research that will help us understand how, when and why music may be beneficial for those diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, if listening to music in different formats will improve movement performance when completing a movement-based task and the role memory recall will play. She has a passion to help the dementia community improve their independence and quality of life. Her curiosity stems from the personal connection she had with her grandfather and the profound effect music had on his life that she bear witness to. Courtney hopes to make a difference by applying her research in music and movement performance into society to help bring change to the lives of those with Alzheimer’s disease.

Elena Broeckelmann

Elena received her B.Sc. in Sports Science from the Ruhr-University in Bochum (Germany), with a focus on ‘Leisure, Health and Training’, and is a current M.Sc. student. Being involved in dance, she is intrigued by how multisensory information in integrated to control motor action and aims to investigate how a richly stimulating environment such as dance may help individuals with mobility issues. She currently works at the University of Manitoba as seminar leader and assists in the RWB’s ExplorAbility program for individuals facing motor challenges. Elena hopes to further dance research and to contribute to the science-based implementation of dance intervention programs.

Byron Bahniuk

Byron is a graduate of the University of Manitoba with a Bachelor of Physical Education and Recreation Management (1998). He became a Certified Athletic Therapist in December, 2000, then attended the Wellington College of Remedial Massage Therapy Inc. (2002), and completed the Basic Remedial Massage Program. Byron was the first person in Manitoba to hold certification in Athletic Therapy and Massage Therapy. He also teaches in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management as a sessional instructor within the Athletic Therapy Program. Currently Byron is a clinical Certified Athletic Therapist and Registered Massage Therapist at the Bison Athletic Therapy Centre and the head Certified Athletic Therapist for the Bison Women’s Soccer, Track and Field, Cross Country, Swimming, and Golf teams. He began his graduate studies in September, 2017, with a focus on athletic therapy/clinical care of injuries. His current focus involves the management and outcome measures of acute ankle sprains using cryokinetics.

Stephanie Tomy

Stephanie graduated with her Bachelor’s of Kinesiology and Recreation Management from the University of Manitoba in 2017. Steph completed a directed lab study with Dr. Glazebrook, where she worked alongside graduate students on a multisensory motor integration study. Steph is now pursuing her M.Sc under the supervision of Dr. Glazebrook. Outside of academics, Steph works as a strength and condition coach and a swimming instructor.

Anthonia Aina

Anthonia is presently completing her Master’s degree program in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management. She is interested in studying the effects of auditory cueing on motor learning and control in individuals who have neurological deficits. Anthonia has a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Lagos, Nigeria where she was first introduced to research, as she did a study on the effect of music on stroke rehabilitation. She started her career by working as a sports physiotherapist to a national league soccer team before proceeding to serve as a graduate assistant at the University of Lagos. She hopes to use her discoveries in motor learning and control to complement and enhance the practice of physical rehabilitation of neurological conditions, especially in individuals who have had a stroke.

Ganesh Tailor

Ganesh Tailor is an M.Sc. student in the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management at the University of Manitoba. He is interested in investigating state estimation models that describe how the central nervous system calculates and predicts the future position of movements. Ganesh received his B.Sc. at the University of Winnipeg where he majored in the Exercise Science stream of Kinesiology and pursued a double major in Psychology. He currently works at the University of Winnipeg as a research assistant where he investigates motor learning principles in the context of practicing laparoscopic surgery. Ganesh hopes to apply research in predictive state estimation to laparoscopic practice with the intent of optimising learning.

Lab alumni

  • PhD Applied Health Sciences

    Andrew Robson

 

  • M.Sc. Kinesiology and Recreation Management

    Carrie Peters

    Bayonle Oladokun – Currently continuing his education at the University of Manitoba

    Ilana Naiman – PhD student at University of Toronto/ Bloorview Research Institute

    Kayla Duna-LaPointe – Research and Evaluation Facilitator at the Centre for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning, University of Manitoba

    Jacqueline Ladwig – PhD Candidate in Applied Health Sciences and sessional instructor at the University of Winnipeg

    Ran Zheng – PhD student

 

  • M.Sc. Biomedical Engineering

    Niyousha Mortaza — PhD student in Applied Health Sciences

 

  • Undergraduate students
  • Jessica Sutton – Master’s of Occupational Therapy student
  • McKenna Brown – Master’s of Occupational Therapy student
  • Alexa Waddell
  • Joseph Lo – Master’s of Physical Therapy student
  • Michelle Berthelette
  • Tamires Prado – MSc student in the College of Rehabilitation Sciences
  • Brianne Page
  • Kelsey Brown – Practicing Physiotherapist
  • Alyson Gysel – High school teacher

Publications

Zheng, R., Naiman, I.D., Skultety, J., Passmore, S. R., Lyons, J. & Glazebrook, C.M. (2019). The Impact of Different Movement Types on Motor Planning and Execution in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Motor Control (00),1-20.

Glazebrook, C.M., Welsh, T.N., & Tremblay, L. (2016). The processing of visual and auditory information for reaching movements. Psychological Research, 80, 757-773.

Passmore, S.R., Johnson, M., Pelleck, V., Ramos, E., Kriellars, D., & Glazebrook, C.M. (2015). Fitts’s Law using lower extremity movement: Performance driven outcomes for degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis. Human Movement Science, 44, 277-286.

Glazebrook, C.M., Kiernan, D., Welsh, T.N., & Tremblay, L. (2015). How one breaks Fitts's Law and gets away with it: Moving further and faster involves more online control. Human Movement Science, 39, 163-176.

Selected Knowledge Translation Activities

1. Glazebrook, C.M. Augmented & Alternative Feedback for Motor Skill Learning. Preschool OT/PT group at Specialized Services for Children and Youth (SSCY). Winnipeg, Manitoba. October 16, 2018. See video here.

2. Ladwig, J., Peters, C., Tomy, S. & Glazebrook C.M. Lab to Community Approaches to Understanding the Role of Rhythm in Inclusive Physical Activities. Health, Leisure and Human Performance Research Institute Annual Research Day, Winnipeg, Canada. May 8, 2018.

3. Panelist for Café Scientifique - Analyzing The Spectrum: The Neuroscience of Autism. McNally Robinson Booksellers, Winnipeg, Canada. March 12, 2018.

 

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