Recovery through rhythm

A University project that explores links between music and movement learning has been awarded a six-figure sum by the European Commission.

The MusicMoves study tests for the first time scientific hypotheses that music and rhythm can help movement learning.

State-of-the-art techniques

Researchers will use state-of-the-art brain imaging techniques available through the University Clinical Research Imaging Centre’s 3 tesla MRI system.

These techniques will enable the research team to investigate the overlap between brain networks used for both music processing and for movement.

It is hoped that the project’s findings can be applied to rehabilitation methods.

The project is led by Katie Overy, Co-director of the Institute for Music in Human and Social Development (IMHSD).

Katie is collaborating with Professor Neil Roberts, Chair of Medical Physics and Imaging Science at the Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), and Rebecca Schaefer, who has been awarded a two-year postdoctoral fellowship to conduct the research.

March awards

MusicMoves was one of 21 Humanities & Social Sciences projects to receive research funding during March.

In the College of Science & Engineering, awards were granted to 50 projects.

Among these was a six-figure sum awarded to GeoSciences researcher Paul Palmer.

He is investigating the long-range influence of the volcanic plume from, the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajökull, which erupted in April 2010 causing widespread travel chaos.

In the College of Medicine, Veterinary & Medicine, grants were awarded to a study analysing fetal alcohol syndrome rates in Scotland and research examining links between social care, housing and health, among others.