Understanding how the brain controls coordinated hand and jaw movements during eating.
Official title: Towards a neurobiology of "oromanual" motor control: behavioral analysis and neural mechanisms
Funded at Northwestern University at Chicago · NIH-10819032 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how our brain helps us move our jaw and hands together when we eat, using special tools to track these movements, and it aims to find ways to improve treatments for people with movement disorders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $440,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R21NS135642-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10819032 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals experiencing difficulties with coordinated hand and jaw movements, such as those with neurological disorders affecting motor control.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with conditions unrelated to motor control or those who do not experience difficulties with hand and jaw coordination may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the neurobiology behind coordinated movements of the jaw and hands, particularly during food-handling activities. By using advanced techniques like electromyography and machine learning, the study aims to capture and analyze the movements of both the jaw and hands simultaneously. This approach will help uncover the neural mechanisms that govern these complex behaviors, providing insights into how the brain coordinates these actions. Patients may benefit from a better understanding of motor control, which could lead to improved therapies for disorders affecting these functions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of motor control, potentially leading to better treatments for conditions that impair hand and jaw coordination.
How similar studies have gone: While the specific approach of studying coordinated hand-jaw movements is relatively novel, similar research in motor control has shown promising results in understanding neural mechanisms.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shepherd, Gordon M — Northwestern University at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Shepherd, Gordon M
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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.