Moving together- high resolution brain mapping technology for the motor pathways

An unsolved question in neuroscience is how multiple brain regions work together in preparing and controlling delicate body movements. Specifically, the communication pathways between the cerebellum and the motor cortex controlling the timing and accuracy of coordinated movements are still poorly known. To discover fundamental network mechanisms underlying the motor control, we need more accurate and faster technologies. Therefore, I will build a magnetic stimulator that allows more efficient activation of the cerebellum with millisecond-scale resolution. For more individualized stimulation targeting, I will create super-fast algorithms that compute and display the structural connections of the brain. I will validate these technologies by measuring biomechanical properties driven by the causal communication between the cerebellum and the motor cortex while subjects try to reach an object. This project will produce advanced methods with superior efficiency to probe brain functions.