Neuroscience Collaborative Center and research opportunities

UofL Health – Frazer Rehab Institute’s Neuroscience Collaborative Center is a joint partnership between The Kentucky Spinal Cord Injury Research Center (KSCIRC), the University of Louisville’s Department of Neurological Surgery and Division of Movement Disorders. The center focuses on research in the area of neurological disorders including movement disorders and spinal cord injury.

The research team is comprised of scientists, engineers, physicians, technicians and physical therapists who work together to understand how the nervous system works during human locomotion. The focus is on retraining the nervous system to facilitate the recovery of standing and stepping in individuals with spinal cord injury. Our studies investigate not only physiological characteristics that enable retraining of the nervous system to stand and walk, but also examine a number of issues secondary to spinal cord injury.

Additional resources

Autogenic Feedback Training Exercise (AFTE) in people with Spinal Cord Injury

AFTE is a nonpharmacological countermeasure that involves training subjects to control physiological responses in stressful and relaxing environments (i.e., biofeedback). The protocol uses software designed by NASA and used in space crews. People exposed to microgravity (e.g., astronauts), inactivity or bed rest suffer many physiological impairments similar to SCI. In particular, we are investigating the effects of AFTE on autonomic responses, including blood pressure and gastric motility modulation, thermoregulation and wellbeing. The material is based upon work supported by NASA Kentucky under NASA award number 80NSSC20M004.

RETAIN Kentucky (Retaining Employment and Talent after Injury/Illness Network), is a free service for Kentucky residents who have experienced an illness or injury outside the workplace to help them obtain services or accommodations so they can continue working. Kentucky is one of only five states to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Labor to expand the program in its second phase. Once an individual is enrolled in RETAIN, a return-to-work coordinator helps them access existing resources, such as workplace accommodations or assistance with transportation, rent or utilities. The coordinator will help the individual develop a return-to-work plan that provides personalized support including assistance with health care and employer communications. RETAIN Kentucky is led by Kentucky’s Department of Workforce Investment in the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. Implementation is overseen by the University of Kentucky, with a subaward to UofL and Frazier Rehab Institute. UK Healthcare and UofL Health are the leading health organizations for the project, which aims to enroll 3,200 people over four years from across the state. If you or someone you know has experienced an injury or illness outside the workplace and would benefit from assistance in returning to work, visit https://www.KYRetain.org or call 859-562-3251.

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