A novel fMRI approach to investigating the pathophysiology of postural instability in Parkinson’s disease
Dr. Mark Carpenter | McGill University
$45,000 (1 year) Porridge for Parkinson’s Pilot Project Grant
This funding supported Dr. Carpenter’s investigation of using imaging technology to scan the brains of people with Parkinson’s disease as they perform a balancing task, to discover what structures of the brain control balance and might be receptive to new treatments to restore balance and reduce falls.
Dr. Carpenter’s research focuses on identifying the factors in the mind, the brain, and the body which contribute to losing balance and falling. In particular, he examines the elements associated with age, Parkinson’s disease, damage to the inner ear, and spinal cord injury (SCI). His second focus is on identifying the best exercise, training, and treatment strategies to improve these conditions and thereby reduce the occurrence and impact of falls.
Dr. Carpenter is an investigator at ICORD (a spinal cord injury research centre of the UBC Faculty of Medicine and VCH Research Institute); and Professor, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia.
