MJ Ellis Distinguished Lecture Series, 2005

"Variability and Coordinative Function in Movement Disorders"

April 26th, 3:00-4:00pm reception to follow
Huff Hall Auditorium

Richard E. A. Van Emmerik, Ph.D.

Department of Exercise Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Abstract

New insights into the role of variability in pattern formation are emerging. Thus, the long-held notion that increased variability is a universal sign of frailty due to aging or pathology is being challenged. Before the advent of complex and dynamical systems approaches, most researchers viewed variability in movement as a key indicator of lack of coordination and stability. More recent research from a dynamical systems perspective has shown that variability may play a functional role in: 1) postural control and exploration of stability boundaries; 2) transitions between movement patterns; and 3) enhancing the detection of weak sensory stimuli. Dynamical systems approaches to movement coordination and control have emerged out of these nonlinear approaches and have yielded new perspectives and tools to assess stability and change in human movement.

In this lecture, Dr. Van Emmerik will provide an overview of the empirical evidence for the functional role of variability in the stability and adaptability of movement, with special emphasis on gait and posture disorders. The presentation will primarily focus on the implication of these concepts for understanding postural and gait instability due to aging and neurological movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Van Emmerik will also discuss the implications of this approach and its recent research findings for the therapeutic treatment of neurological disorders.

Biography

Richard E. A. Van Emmerik is Associate Professor in the Department of Exercise Science at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. His primary research interests
are in the area of motor control and coordination, with particular interest in movement disorders of those with mental retardation and neurological disease such as Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. Dr. Van Emmerik is a member of the International Society for Ecological Psychology, the North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, and a Fellow of the Royal Dutch Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is a member of the editorial board of Human Movement Science, and has authored or co-authored more than 75 refereed journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings.