Tapping into the Neurobiology of Speech and Dance Production

In this talk, Dr. Constantina Theofanopoulou explores the neural circuits involved in complex sensory-motor behaviors that serve social communication, such as speech and dance, and identifies potential therapies for disorders that affect these behaviors, like Parkinson’s Disease. In her lecture, she presents her research on humans that aims to uncover potential similarities between speech and dance. Included are an examination of the brain pathways involved (using fMRI and EEG), the genetic basis (with a focus on the oxytocin gene family), and clinical applications that use dance as a treatment for sensory-motor deficits.