Cortical Mechanisms Mediating Bilateral Interactions Between the Upper Limbs (2005-2007)

The ease with which we perform tasks in which the two hands execute quite different actions belies the fact that there is a strong tendency for the movements of the upper limbs to be drawn together. This research seeks to establish the cortical mechanisms which mediate bilateral interactions between the upper limbs and to elucidate the manner in which manipulations of task context give rise to changes in the functional contributions of these mechanisms. This strategic basic research conducted with neurologically intact individuals will advance our understanding of the bilateral organisation of descending motor pathways and will be of profound importance in designing strategies of motor rehabilitation for the upper limb