Family Medicine and Community Health
Mentor: Jacqueline Palmer, Ph.D., Family Medicine and Community Health
Project: Probing cerebellar contributions to balance adaptation in older adults using transcranial magnetic stimulation
Owing to its distinctive cytoarchitecture and dense neuroanatomical projections to the cerebral cortex, the aging cerebellum may have the potential to counteract age-related decline in the cerebral cortex and preserve behavioral function. Si-Yu Tsai's research aims to investigate the adaptive mechanisms in the cerebellum that enables older adults to rapidly adapt and learn their balance control. Using a multimodal approach that combines neuroimaging and neuromodulation techniques (e.g., dual-site transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), TMS-electroencephalography (TMS-EEG), and intermittent theta burst stimulation), this project examines the role of cerebello-cortical functional connectivity in balance adaptation with aging. This work will provide novel insights into the adaptive brain mechanisms that may enable older adults to maintain balance during the advanced stages of aging, with the goal of preserving mobility and extending functional health span.
