How the brain helps people keep standing balance as we age or after a stroke
Official title: Individual-specific engagement of cortical resources for standing balance control in aging and post stroke
Funded at Emory University · NIH-11303429 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project measures brain activity while young adults, older adults, and people who have had a stroke do balance tasks to learn how the brain helps keep you steady.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $570,043 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG072756-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11303429 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are older adults and people who have had a unilateral (one-sided) stroke who can stand and follow simple instructions but have balance or walking difficulties.
✕Less likely to help
People who cannot safely stand, have severe uncontrolled medical issues, or cannot follow instructions due to advanced cognitive impairment may not be eligible or likely to benefit from participation.
What this research studies
You would visit a lab where researchers record brain signals, muscle activity, and movements while you stand and respond to mild pushes or other balance challenges. The team will include young adults, older adults, and people with a one-sided stroke to compare how the brain supports balance across ages and conditions and as task difficulty changes. Researchers will use EEG to capture cortical activity along with motion sensors and EMG to track how muscles and limbs react during reactive balance and while doing a secondary task that shifts attention. The aim is to find brain activity patterns that explain individual differences and could eventually guide more personalized balance training and rehabilitation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify people at higher risk of falls and guide more personalized balance rehabilitation after aging or stroke.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has linked increased brain engagement with fall risk and used EEG and movement measures successfully, but applying direct brain measures during reactive balance is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Emory University
Atlanta, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ting, Lena H — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Ting, Lena H
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Understanding how the brain controls balance in older adults and stroke survivors
This study is looking at how the brain helps us keep our balance, especially in older adults and those who have had a stroke, to find better ways to help people who struggle with balance.
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Understanding how the brain controls balance in older adults and stroke survivors
This study looks at how the brain helps us keep our balance, especially in older adults and those who have had a stroke, to find ways to improve balance and support rehabilitation for people who struggle with it.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.