Tara Najafi
The Role of the Cerebellum in Motor Learning
This summer I will be working on a project which ultimately aims to give us a better understanding of how the cerebellum is involved in motor learning. We will be implementing noninvasive experimental techniques, which can reveal the brain’s behavior through external movements and strategies in game-like tasks. These tasks often consist of participants reaching towards various targets and being provided with different types of feedback. A significant part of our trials this summer will be carried out in online tasks, in which we will test control individuals, as well as individuals with motor system impairments, such as ataxia. As we compare the behaviors of controls and patients who have cerebellar degeneration, we hope to better understand the functions of the cerebellum.
Message To Sponsor
I greatly appreciate this opportunity to fully immerse myself into my research. My experience this summer has given me skills which I will implement throughout the rest of my career, and life in general.