[MFSR Roster]

The Motor Function, Speech and Rehabilitation [MFSR] Study Section reviews applications on normal and disordered motor function, including speech and voice production. Function across the lifespan [infancy through old age], in humans and other animals, is addressed. Also included are the development and evaluation of preventive and therapeutic interventions for movement, speech, voice, and related disorders. Although the focus is on behavior, studies may also consider associated anatomical, physiological, neural, hormonal, and genetic factors. Methods include [but are not limited to] behavioral experiments, physiological measurement, acoustic analysis, structural and functional imaging, and computational modeling.

Specific areas covered by MFSR:

• Movement: Control of limbs and extremities; body posture and balance; locomotion; head, jaw, mouth, laryngeal, eye, facial and related movements; sensory-motor integration; motor learning and motor skills; movement disorders [including dyskinesia, dyspraxia, dystonia, paralysis, parkinsonism, repetitive stress injury, spasticity, tremor]
• Sound production: Motor aspects of production of speech and other sounds via respiratory, laryngeal, and articulatory mechanisms; interactions of motor, acoustic and perceptual aspects of sound production; relations with breathing, chewing, swallowing, etc.; speech, voice, and related disorders [including dysarthria, dysfluency, dysphagia, dysphonia]
• Normal and abnormal development of movement and sound production; aging-related changes; interactions with other physical conditions
• Prevention and treatment of movement, speech, voice, and related disorders/disabilities; physical rehabilitation following disease or injury; prosthetic and adaptive technologies; related exercise

MFSR has the following shared interests within the BBBP IRG:

• Studies of global characteristics of motor function in animals, particularly in a broad behavioral context, may be assigned to BRLE. Studies of basic mechanisms underlying motor function may be assigned to MFSR.
• Studies of motor processes underlying sound production and gesture may be assigned to MFSR. Studies of speech perception or the linguistic or communicative significance of sounds may be assigned to LCOM.
• Studies of higher-level motor planning or the relation of motor function to other aspects of cognition or perception may be assigned to CP. However, studies of higher-level planning related to speech sound production may be assigned to MFSR or LCOM.
• Studies of symptoms, disorders, and interventions specifically related to motor function may be assigned to MFSR. Studies that consider a broader range of abnormality in adults may be assigned to APDA.
• Studies of symptoms, disorders, and interventions specifically related to motor function may be assigned to MFSR. Studies that consider a broader range of developmental abnormality may be assigned to CPDD.

MFSR has the following shared interests outside the BBBP IRG:

• With the Genes, Genomes and Genetics [GGG] IRG:  Applications focusing on genetic mechanisms in speech and motor behavior may be assigned to MFSR.  Studies of genetic mechanisms in which the emphasis is not behavioral may be assigned to the GGG IRG. 
  
  
• With the Musculoskeletal, Oral and Skin Sciences [MOSS] IRG:  Applications that focus on prosthetic devices, motor control, problems of aging in the musculoskeletal system and rehabilitation interventions in which the primary focus is on altering the behavior of the individual may be assigned to MFSR.  Neural control of movement and developmental motor issues (e.g., cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease and stroke) may be reviewed by MFSR.  If the focus of the rehabilitation strategy is to improve the physical well-being of the individual, or if the emphasis is on the rehabilitation of muscle and/or orthopaedic function, or the focus is on orthopedic surgery, chiropracty, osteopathy, pathology and physiology of bone and cartilage, the application may be assigned to the MOSS IRG.
  
  
• With the Integrative, Functional and Cognitive Neuroscience [IFCN] IRG:  Studies in which the primary research focus is speech and motor behavioral may go to MFSR.  The IFCN IRG may review studies examining neural bases of auditory and motor function or the neural bases of higher-level motor planning or of motor/perceptual/cognitive interactions.
  
  
• With the Brain Disorders and Clinical Neuroscience [BDCN] IRG: Studies in which the primary research focus is behavioral may go to MFSR.  Studies that focus on physiological processes such as neural bases of abnormalities of motor functions may be assigned to the BDCN IRG.