Objective A child’s first steps may be small, but they are a giant leap for its development. Children have an instinct to walk from the moment they are born – a 'stepping reflex' hardwired in their neural circuitry – but it typically takes about one year before they can start walking independently. In a pioneering work published on Science in 2011, I demonstrated that the coordinated muscle activation in neonate stepping is described by two basic activation patterns that are retained throughout development, and supplemented by two new ones that be-come manifest in toddlers.These seminal findings triggered profound questions: Is the development of new patterns an emergent property, indicative of spontaneously changing cortico-muscular interaction? Does locomotor impairment change the spontaneous character of this emergent property into a gradual one? With the proposed research, I plan to answer these questions by studying the interplay between brain and muscular activity at the onset of independent walking.The overarching aim is to characterize the emergence of independent walking in typically developing children and in children affected by cerebral palsy, and to identify an optimal rehabilitation strategy to promote normal walking in the latter. I plan to perform a combined analysis of brain and muscular activity in typically developing children, unraveling the detailed processes underlying the learning of walking. I will then elucidate the reorganization of cortical and cortico-muscular activity accompanying the altered development of walking in children with cerebral palsy. Finally, I will apply these results to the identification of optimal rehabilitation techniques for children with cerebral palsy.It is my long-term ambition to exploit fundamental insights into neuro-motor control for promoting normal walking in children with locomotor impairments. The proposed project provides an exciting opportunity for me to realize this goal. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesneurobiologynatural sciencescomputer and information sciencessoftwaremedical and health sciencesclinical medicinephysiotherapy Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2016-STG - ERC Starting Grant Call for proposal ERC-2016-STG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-STG - Starting Grant Host institution STICHTING VU Net EU contribution € 1 331 625,00 Address DE BOELELAAN 1105 1081 HV Amsterdam Netherlands See on map Region West-Nederland Noord-Holland Groot-Amsterdam Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 331 625,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all STICHTING VU Netherlands Net EU contribution € 1 331 625,00 Address DE BOELELAAN 1105 1081 HV Amsterdam See on map Region West-Nederland Noord-Holland Groot-Amsterdam Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 1 331 625,00
