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Susan Brown, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Movement Science

• Areas of Interest
• Educational Background
• Research
• Teaching
• Honors and Awards
• Professional Affiliations & Service
• Selected Publications
• Funding
• Links

2152 Observatory Lodge
1402 Washington Heights
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2013
Phone: (734) 763-6755
Fax: (734) 647-2808
shcb@umich.edu

Office Hours (Spring Summer 2008):
Please contact for an appointment

Full vita>>

Laboratories:

• Motor Control Laboratory
• Dr. Brown's research web site (leaving Kinesiology site)

Areas of Interest

Short Description: Motor coordination, aging, Parkinson's Disease, cerebral palsy, autism, rehabilitation

Dr. Brown is a neurophysiologist who studies motor coordination across the life span and in neurological disorder conditions, such as cerebral palsy and Parkinson's disease. She has a particular interest in linking theoretical motor control approaches and clinical research in the area of neurological rehabilitation. She directs an active research laboratory within the Center for Human Motor Research that provides research opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students.

Based on research demonstrating that Parkinson's patients could improve their walking ability if visual or auditory cues accompanied their movement, Brown is examining whether sensory cueing may facilitate upper limb performance and postural control in older individuals and people with Parkinson's disease. She collaborates with Dr. Edward Hurvitz in U-M's Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation to assess the effectiveness of intensive training on upper limb performance in children with spasticity. Besides evaluating different therapeutic strategies, these studies will provide rehabilitation specialists with much needed quantitative assessment methods currently unavailable in clinical settings. Brown's research interests also include age-related changes in hand function and force control. More recently she has initiated a collaborative project with Dr. Daniel Monyeki, University of the North (South Africa) where they are examining the effects of malnutrition on motor coordination in children and adolescents.


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Educational Background

The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
Ph.D., Physiology, 1986
Thesis: "Control of Movement Initiation in Humans"

The University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
M.Sc., Physiology, 1979
Thesis: "Movement-Related EMG Activity in Humans"

Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, Canada
B.Sc., Biology (Honours), 1976
Deacon George Thomas Scholarship (1976)
Dean's List Scholarship (1975)


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Research

Upper Limb Function in Pediatric Onset Motor Disorder Conditions

Upper Limb Sensorimotor Training in Adults with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy. This work is also featured on the U-M Health Services web site.

The Effects of Aging on Upper Limb Function

The Role of Proprioception in Handedness

Teaching

MOVESCI 320. Motor Control

MOVESCI 421 / KINESLGY 421.* Disorders of Voluntary Movement

MOVESCI 424 / KINESLGY 424.* Human Movement and Aging: Changes in Sensorimotor Control

MOVESCI 429 / KINESLGY 429.* Lab Rotation in Motor Control

KINESLGY 520. Graduate Seminar in Motor Control

* Movement Science courses are for undergraduate credit; Kinesiology courses are for graduate credit.

Honors and Awards

University/Professional Affiliations and Service

Selected Publications

Lewis, CA, Hurvitz, EA, Brown, SH. Assessment of Upper Limb Function in Adults with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy. American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine 2006.

Adamo, DA, Alexander, N., Brown, SH. Grasp Force Control in the Elderly: Effects of Physical Activity and Handedness. Proc. Gerontol. Society of America, 2006.

Adamo, DA, Alexander,N., Brown,SH. The Influence of Age, Physical Activity and Hand Preference on the Ability to Utilize Force Feedback. Proc. Soc Neurosci. 32: 2006.

Goble, DJ, Brown, SH. Asymmetries in the Accuracy of Matching Visual versus Proprioceptively-Determined Target Arm Positions. Proc Soc. Neurosci. 32: 2006. (selected for International Press Book release)

Waechter, C, Adamo, D. Brown, SH. Assessment of Sensorimotor Performance in the Elderly Using Clinical and Experimental Methods. Proc. Soc. Neurosci. 32: 2006.

Seo, N., Brown, SH. Scaling of Safety Margins During Isometric Push Force Tasks. Proc. Soc. Neurosci. 32: 2006.

Lewis, CA, Hurvitz, EA, Brown, SH. Kinematic Analysis of Upper Limb Function in Adults with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy. Proc. International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity 2006.

Brown, SH, Lewis, CA, Turk, P, Hurvitz,EA. Adults with Cerebral Palsy: Health, Fitness and Motor Function. Instructional Course for American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine annual conference 2007.

Adamo, DE, Brown, SH. The influence of age and task demands on the ability to utilize proprioceptive feedback in right hand dominant individuals. Progress in Motor Control Conference 2007.

Goble, DJ., Brown, SH. Non-preferred Arm Advantages in the Coordination of Static and Dynamic Proprioceptive Feedback. Progress in Motor Control Conference 2007.

McCarthy, J. M., Lewis, C.A., Brown, S.H. Improvement in Sensorimotor Function in Adult Cerebral Palsy Using a Computer-Based Home Training Program (Project ULTrA). Progress in Motor Control Conference 2007.

Wright, ML, Adamo, DE, Brown, SH. Age-Related Declines in the Perception of Upper Limb Movement and Grasp Force. Progress in Motor Control Conference 2007.

Adamo, DE, Brown, SH. The Influence of Age, Physical Activity and Hand Preference on the Ability to use Position and Force Feedback. Festival of International Conferences on Caregiving, Disability, Aging and Technology, Toronto, Canada 2007.

Goble, DJ, Brown, SH. Movement accuracy during the matching of dynamic proprioceptive feedback. Proc Soc. Neurosci. 33: 2007.

Brown, SH, Goble, DJ, Hurvitz, EA. Hemispheric Asymmetries in the Ability to Utilize Position-Related Proprioceptive Feedback in Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy. Neural Control of Movement Conference 2008.

Brown, S, Lewis, C, McCarthy, J, Hurvitz, E. Improvement in Arm and Hand Function in Adults with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy using Internet-based Home Training (Project ULTrA). (Submitted to AACPDM).

Brown, SH, Hurvitz, EA. Improved Upper Limb Function in Adults with Cerebral Palsy Using Internet-Based Home Training (submitted to AAPMR).

Brown, S.H., Lewis, C.A., McCarthy, J.M., Hurvitz, E.A. Improved upper limb function in cerebral palsy using internet-based home training. (submitted to European Congress on Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine).

Funding

2002. UM South Africa Initiatives Office $5,000. Effects of Malnutrition on Motor Performance in Preadolescence and Adolescence in Rural South Africa. Principal investigator.

2002. UM Graduate School $5,000. Effects of Malnutrition on Motor Performance in South African Children. Principal investigator.

2002. UM Mott Children’s Hospital $28,000. Bilateral Coordination in Children with Unilateral Upper Limb Impairment. Co-principal investigator (PI: E. Hurvitz).

2002. Preparation of Leadership Personnel Training Grant, U.S. Dept of Education $793,000. Core faculty member providing pediatric research opportunities - funding for trainees only (09/02-09/07).

2003. UM SROP Biomedical Fellowship $3500 (S. Huang, Engineering).

2003. UM Office of the Vice President for Research $5780. Auditory Facilitation of Limb-Posture Coordination in Healthy Aging and Parkinson’s Disease. Principal investigator.

2004. UM Elizabeth Crosby NSF Advance Award $20,000. Limb-Posture Control and Proprioceptive Function in the Elderly. Principal investigator.

2005. National Institutes of Health R03 $150,000. Age-related Changes in Upper Limb Proprioceptive Acuity. Principal investigator (08/05-07/07).

2005. Weikert Family Foundation $30,000. Movement and Music Program to Enhance Elementary School Learning, Motor Coordination and Health Attitudes — Planning Grant. Principal investigator (2005-2006).

2005. National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research $450,000. Sensorimotor Training and Assessment in Adults with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: The ULTrA Program. Principal investigator (12/05-11/08).

2005. UM SROP Biomedical Fellowship. $3500 (C. Waechter, Kinesiology).

2005. UM Center for the Education of Women Reicher Scholarship for Undergraduate Research. $2,000.

2006. UM Digital Media Commons GROCs program $1500. ACE for Art: Adapted Computer Environment for Online Art Workshop. Faculty advisor.

2007. National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research $500,000. Home- and Internet-Based Sensorimotor Training in Adults with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy: A Multi-Site Study of the Effectiveness of Project ULTrA. Principal investigator (09/08-08/11). Pending.

Links

Society for Neuroscience
Experimental Brain Research



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