The overarching goal of the National Center of NM4R is to impact multiple RPR priorities by increasing rehabilitation research workforce access to NM4R approaches and supporting rigorous clinical research to translate them into effective, evidence-based rehabilitation interventions. A critical element to achieve this is to develop, test and share new techniques and enhanced technologies in neuromodulation for rehabilitation (NM4R ? the mechanisms and use of non-invasive brain stimulation and operant conditioning of brain and spinal cord networks integrated with rehabilitation principles). The Techniques Development component seeks to develop, adapt and/or validate core research techniques, tools and other resources designed to improve the accessibility, applicability, utility, validity and feasibility of these approaches for the NM4R research community. It is our primary research vehicle to translate promising NM4R approaches into effective, evidence-based rehabilitation interventions. The field of NM4R research is dynamic with methodology continually being refined. To advance techniques and technology in NM4R, we have the following Specific Aims.
AIM 1. Increase rigor in NM4R design, methods and clinical trials through methods and technology development studies. Very important methods and technology development studies are rarely ?flashy? enough or large enough on their own for NIH funding. Yet they are crucial for the translation of neuroscience ideas into rehabilitation treatments, especially in the context of clinical trials. Tech Development currently acts as a catalyst for NM4R research by addressing pressing questions in the field such as how to develop TMS neurophysiological techniques most relevant to the leg when studying gait and balance.
AIM 2. Perform key research to translate NM4R approaches into evidence-based interventions. Translating promising approaches into effective treatments usually requires key research studies to move beyond concepts. An example is the ongoing tech development project to determine how to individually dose tDCS studies, in the same way individual motor threshold is used to dose rTMS studies.
AIM 3. Develop emerging NM techniques into NM4R tools. Currently rehabilitation lags behind psychiatry in developing new NM based tools. We propose to introduce emerging techniques into tools for NM4R much more quickly. Successful examples include taVNS and combined TMS-fMRI-EEG techniques.
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