Centre for Neurorehabilitation, Ageing and Balance Research

Losing touch: Exploring the neurophysiological effects of bionic sensory insole technology for balance rehabilitation.

The aim of this project is to engineer a state-of-the-art shoe insole, designed to stimulate foot skin sensors, to improve how the muscles and nerves work to keep the body upright. Through patient testing of the insole technology, the project will generate knowledge to develop an efficient balance rehabilitation device for people with neuropathy.

Find out more about the project

Capturing motion: classifying movement with wearable sensors in healthy adults, people with Parkinson’s disease and acquired brain injury – such as stroke.

Wearable sensors can capture common repetitive movements like walking, but cannot identify other functional movements important in recovery of daily life – such as reaching. The aim of this project is to capture common functional tasks (such as reaching, standing up) in a variety of adults in a once-off data collection session. This will enable the team to develop and evaluate accurate algorithms to detect and classify functional body positions and movements which will ultimately contribute to more timely and effective clinical management and rehabilitation. For more detail contact nabresearch@uq.edu.au.

ULTECH: Using technology to capture quality of movement and use of the upper limb after stroke.

After stroke, recovery of arm movement can be slow and difficult to measure, making it difficult for stroke survivors and the therapists who work them to see the impact of their treatment. The aim of this project is to improve the way we assess recovery of arm movement after stroke, so that small improvements can be measured.

A physiotherapy group exercise and self management program to improve physical activity in people with Parkinson’s disease: a randomised controlled trial.

Participating in physical activity is improves function and slows decline in people with  Parkinson’s disease. The challenge is getting going and keeping going with exercise. The aim of this project is to determine if a 12-session program of physiotherapy-led group physical activity and self management more effective than usual care in people with mild-moderate Parkinson’s disease in improving daily step count, gait and health-related quality of life? Funded by Wesley Medical Research – Neurology Research grant. For more detail contact: nabresearch@uq.edu.au.

UPLIFT: A Phase lla multicentre umbrella trial of integrated UPper limb and Language Impairment and Functional Training (UPLIFT) after stroke

1 in 6 people living with stroke have difficulty with both arm and communication functions. The purpose of this trial is to test a new intensive rehabilitation program that trains arm movement and communication together. The UPLIFT trial is a multicentre research project with therapy hubs located in Brisbane, Townsville, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide.

Find out more about UPLIFT

RITA – Rehabilitation Innovation and Technology Assessment service. 

This project aims to enhance rehabilitation treatment and support for individuals affected by brain or spinal cord injury. Specifically, the project will investigate the
impact of technology-aided movement practice, facilitated by interprofessional teams including rehabilitation engineering, occupational therapy and physiotherapy, on recovery outcomes during inpatient rehabilitation. Second, we aim to identify rehabilitation technology needs during hospitalization to improve discharge readiness and further promote post-discharge recovery. The RITA service is a multicentre project with sites spanning spinal cord, brain injury and stroke rehabilitation at the PAH and STARS Hospitals in Brisbane, funded by MAIC. 

Can brain stimulation offset the effects of sleep deprivation?

Sleep deprivation is associated with dramatic impairment in cognitive performance.  This research, funded by the US Special Operations Command, is using non-invasive brain stimulation to mimic sleep-related brain rhythms.  The study is also investigating whether this form of brain stimulation can drive glymphatic flow within the brain.  The findings of this research may provide insights into how the detrimental effects of sleep deprivation can be offset with brain stimulation.

The tACS challenge

Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation (tACS) is a form of non-invasive brain stimulation that can entrain physiologically-relevant neural oscillations in the brain.  The laboratory is part of a global collaborative seeking to better understand the neural effects of tACS.  The study will use a variety of cognitive tasks, brain stimulation and brain imaging to investigate the effects of tACS.

VIBRANT

Three in five older adults aged over 60 have a hearing loss and the risk of falling for older adults is higher if they have a hearing loss. Researchers at The University of Queensland are conducting a study that will test if a device that gives feedback on body position can improve balance and stability.

Access to Physiotherapy for patients with Parkinson’s Disease attending the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital Movement Disorders Clinic

Physiotherapy assessment and intervention is critical for maintaining physical function and reducing the risk of falls for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is unclear if individuals with PD who are clients of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital movement disorders clinic, are accessing sufficient, appropriate, and timely physiotherapy.  The aims of this study were to determine rates of referral to, and uptake of, physiotherapy services for individuals with PD, and to identify barriers and enablers to accessing physiotherapy services for individuals with PD. Results of this project will guide the development of strategies to improve referral to and uptake of physiotherapy for clients of the RBWH movement disorders clinic.

Project led by Beth Cunningham with investigators Lindsay Hepnar, and Dr Peter Window (Physiotherapy dept RBWH)

A/Prof John O’Sullivan, Dr Rob Adam, Dr Micheal Katz, Dr Shayani Upadhyay and Dr Jasmine De Oliveira (Neurology Department, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital), Professor Sandra Brauer and Dr Robyn Lamont