OHSU

Balance Disorders Laboratory

Fay B. Horak, PhD

Fay Horak, PhD

horakf@ohsu.edu

Education

BS Physical Therapy, University of Wisconsin, 1973
MS Neurophysiology, University of Minnesota, 1977
PhD Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, 1982


Professor of Neurology

Department of Neurology
Department of Biomedical Engineering (profile)
Department of Physiology and Pharmacology


Faculty Member

Neuroscience Graduate Program (profile)


Honorary Faculty

University of Oregon
Pacific University
University of Calgary
University of Waterloo


Training Opportunities

I welcome students and postdocs with clinical, engineering, neuroscience, psychology or kinesiology background to join my lab in one of three routes:
Neuroscience Graduate Program
Behavioral Neuroscience Graduate Program
Biomechanical Engineering Graduate Program


Grants (Current)

National Institutes on Aging MERIT AWARD 5R37AG006457-25:  Peripheral and Central Disorders of Postural Control in the Elderly 4/1/89-3/31/14
National Institutes on Deafness and Communication Disorders R01DC00408207 : Adaptation of Spatial Orientation in Locomotion and Posture 5/1/06-4/30/11
National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke Collaborative Post-doctoral Fellowship at the NSI  9/1/05-10/31/10
NIA Supplement to promote re-entry into Biomed Research and Minority Fellowships   2005-2011
Australian Government NHMRC The contribution of dopamine to regulation of orofacial, limb and trunk control 2007-2010
Kinetics Foundation: Development of an Instrumented Clinical Test of Mobility: iMOBILITY  2009-2011
Kinetics Foundation: Automation of Measurement of Parkinson’s Disease 6/30/2008-12/30/2009

Research Interests

Dr. Horak studies neurological disorders that effect balance and gait in the elderly, people with Parkinson's disease, diabetic neuropathy, vestibular injury or disease, cerebellar ataxia, and back pain.

biofeedback

Patient using audio biofeedback to improve balance.
Dozza, M., Wall, C., Peterka, R., Chiari L., Horak, F.B. Effects of practicing tandem gait with and without vibrotactile biofeedback in subjects with unilateral vestibular loss. Journal of Vestibular Research 17:195-204, 2007. PMCID: PMC2474458

She examines how motor signals sent to muscles and sensory information about body position interact to maintain a person's balance while standing or walking. Diseases or injury that damage the motor (e.g. Parkinson's disease) or sensory (e.g., vestibular injury, diabetic peripheral neuropathy) pathways can disrupt balance. In the Balance Disorders Laboratory a person's balance is tested by having him/her stand on a movable force platform during a surface perturbation (simulated fall). Muscle activities, surface forces, and whole body motion quantify how the brain coordinates automatic balancing movements.

The insights Dr. Horak has gained about the nervous system has allowed her to develop innovative approaches to the diagnosis and rehabilitation of patients with disequilibrium, dizziness, and dyscoordination. Her work has revolutionized the rehabilitation of balance disorders by physical therapists.

PubMed Listing