Our team of professionals lead research efforts in brain injury rehabilitation. This research makes a difference in peoples' lives. We have developed our own evaluation system called PERPOS (Pate Environmentally Relevant Program Outcome System).
We use PERPOS to evaluate each patient's progress throughout the program. We also use PERPOS as a basis for much of the research we do. Feel free to request a copy of recent articles, based on our research, that have been published in the Journal of Head Trauma Rehabilitation.
Pate is currently conducting research on brain activity and recovery of brain activity following injury through the use of light. The scientific name for this technology is "Near Infrared Spectroscopy" or fNIRS. fNIRS works by shining an array of near infrared light beams onto the scalp. These lights are held in place by what looks like a shower cap. This light goes through the skin and bone of the head, and is either reflected or absorbed in the cortex (the grey matter of the brain) depending upon how much oxygen there is in the blood. Since nerves in the brain (neurons) need more oxygen when they are working, this system is able to measure neuron activity by measuring increases and decreases in oxygen. fNIRS provides an alternative to the use of MRI for measuring brain activity, and allows the patient greater freedom of movement. The FDA has considered this technology safe, and it is even used in newborn infants. The fNIRS lab is under the direction of Dr. Patrick Plenger, who is a Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist.
Pate has recently completed a study on the recovery of frontal cerebral activity following traumatic brain injury. Frontal lobe functioning is associated with many cognitive abilities including the ability to control impulses, so that an individual can stop and think before they make a response. The frontal region of the brain is vulnerable to injury during a traumatic brain injury, and thus many individuals have difficulty with impulse control following this type of injury. Please see the video below.
Presently Pate is conducting research on the recovery of language and visual abilities following a stroke (CVA). This research focuses on both how the brain reorganizes following a stroke and on which type of treatment may be more effective for improving brain recovery and thus recovery of language and visual functions. Please see the video below.
Pate's hope is that research with fNIRS will lead to developing treatments that are more efficient and effective for improving brain functioning/recovery following injury.
