University of Vermont

College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Jesse Jacobs

Jesse V. Jacobs, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor of Rehabilitation and Movement Science

Jesse JacobsOffice: 306A Rowell
Phone: (802) 656-8647
Email: Jesse.Jacobs@uvm.edu

As a member of the Human Motion Analysis Laboratory in the Department of Rehabilitation and Movement Science, Dr. Jesse Jacobs investigates the neural mechanisms that underlie human posture and movement, with and without disease or injury. Methods include the use of electroencephalography (EEG) to record movement-related brain activation, electromyography (EMG) to record muscle activation patterns, kinematics to record a person's movement, and kinetics to record the forces produced by a person's movement. Specific populations of interest include people with musculoskeletal injury (low back pain), the elderly, and people with neurological disorders (such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis). In understanding the neural control and dyscontrol of posture and movement, Jesse then seeks to translate knowledge of these sensory-motor control mechanisms to evidence-based diagnostic tests and rehabilitation strategies that target the identified neural impairments of posture and movement in hopes of improving health and independent function. Graduate students who are interested in work with Dr. Jacobs can apply to the doctoral program in the UVM Neuroscience Graduate Program. Dr. Jacobs was a member of the Neuroscience, Behavior and Health (NBH) working group and welcomes transdisciplinary collaborations among students and program faculty.

Education

Post-Doctoral Fellow, University of Vermont, 2008
Post-Doctoral Fellow Short-Term Foreign Researcher, Kanazawa University, 2008
Ph.D., Oregon Health & Science University, Neuroscience, 2006
B.A., Neuroscience, The Colorado College, 2000

Courses Taught

EXMS 240 - Motor Learning & Control
EXMS 254 - Neural Control of Movement
ANNB302 - Neuroscience (motor neuroanatomy sections)

Research Interests
  • Understanding the neural mechanisms of posture and movement in healthy individuals
  • Quantifying changes in the neural control of posture and movement associated with musculoskeletal injury (low back pain), advancing age, or neurological disease (Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis)
  • Developing and refining clinical diagnostics and treatment strategies for postural instability
Selected Publications

Smith BA, Jacobs JV, Horak FB (In Press). Effects of Parkinson's disease on cortical activity in preparation for postural responses. Exp Brain Res. DOI 10.1007/s00221-012-3232-3 (Abstract)

Padgett PK, Jacobs JV, Kasser SL (2012). Is the BESTest at its best? A suggested brief version based on inter-rater reliability, validity, internal consistency, and theoretical construct. Phys Ther. 92:1197-1207 (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Kasser SL. Balance impairment in people with multiple sclerosis: Preliminary evidence for the Balance Evaluation Systems Test. Gait Posture 36:414-418. (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Kasser SL. Effects of dual tasking on the postural performance of people with and without multiple sclerosis: a pilot study. J Neurol. 259:1166-1176 (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Yaguchi C, Kaida C, Irei M, Naka M, Henry SM, Fujiwara K (2011) Effects of experimentally induced low back pain on the sit-to-stand movement and electroencephalographic contingent negative variation. Exp Brain Res. 215:123-134.(Abstract)

Kasser SL, Jacobs JV, Foley JT, Cardinal BJ, Maddalozzo GF (2011) A Prospective Evaluation of Balance, Gait, and Strength to Predict Falling in Women With Multiple Sclerosis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 92:1840-1846. (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Henry SM, Jones SL, Hitt JR, Bunn JY (2011) A history of low back pain associates with altered electromyographic activation patterns in response to perturbations of standing balance. J Neurophysiol. 106:2506-2514. (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Henry SM, Nagle KJ (2010) Low back pain associates with altered activity of the cerebral cortex prior to arm movements that require postural adjustment. Clin Neurophysiol 121:431-440. (Abstract)

Fujiwara K, Asai H, Toyama H, Kunita K, Yaguchi C, Kiyota N, Tomita H, Jacobs, JV(2010) Changes in muscle thickness of gastrocnemius and soleus associated with age and sex. Aging Clinical and Experimental Research 22:24-30. (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Horak FB, Lou JS, Kraakevik JA (2009) The supplementary motor area contributes to the timing of the anticipatory postural adjustment during step initiation in participants with and without Parkinson's disease. Neuroscience164:877-885.

Jacobs JV, Henry SM, Nagle KJ (2009). People with chronic low back pain exhibit decreased variability in the timing of their anticipatory postural adjustments. Behav Neurosci 123: 455-458. (Abstract)

Jacobs, JV, Nutt JG, Carlson-Kuhta P, Stephens MJ, Horak FB (2009) Knee trembling during freezing of gait represents multiple anticipatory postural adjustments. Exp Neurol 215:334-341. (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Horak FB, Fujiwara K, Tomita H, Furune N, Kunita K (2008) Changes in the activity of the cerebral cortex relate to postural response modification when warned of a perturbation. Clin Neurophysiol 119:1431-1442. (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Horak FB (2007) Cortical control of postural responses: a review. J Neural Trans 114:1339-1348.

Jacobs JV, Horak FB (2007) External postural perturbations induce multiple anticipatory postural adjustments when subjects cannot pre-select their stepping foot. Exp Brain Res 179:29-42. (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Horak FB, Nutt JG, Tran VK (2006) Multiple balance tests improve the assessment of postural stability in subjects with Parkinson’s disease. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 77:322-326.

Jacobs JV, Horak FB, Nutt JG, Tran VK (2006) An alternative clinical postural stability test for patients with Parkinson’s disease. J Neurol 253:1404-1413. (Abstract)

Jacobs JV, Horak FB (2006) Abnormal proprioceptive-motor integration contributes to hypometric postural responses of subjects with Parkinson’s disease. Neuroscience 141:999-1009.

Jacobs JV, Dimitrova DM, Nutt JG, Horak FB (2005) Can stooped posture explain multi-directional postural instability in patients with Parkinson’s disease? Exp Brain Res 166, 78-88. (Abstract)

Grants and Scholarship Activities
  • NIH/NCRR Pilot Project Grant (project within 5 P20 RR016435), University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 2010-2011
  • NIH Loan Repayment Program Award Recipient, 2008-2009
  • McClure Musculoskeletal Research Award, University of Vermont, 2008
  • Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Post-doctoral Fellowship Short-Term, 2008
  • NIH/NIAMS Post-Doctoral Training Grant T32 AR07568-09, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 2006-2008
  • NIH Travel Grant, fMRI training course, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 2006
  • Best Student Presentation Award, Conference of the International Society for Posture and Gait Research, 2005
  • Movement Disorders Society 8th International Congress Travel Grant, 2004
  • NIH/NINDS NRSA Grant 1F31NS48800, Oregon Health & Science Univ., Portland, OR, 2004-2006
  • Magna cum laude, Distinction in Neuroscience, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, 2000
  • Arnold B. Scheibel Neuroscience Student of the Year, Colorado College, Colo. Sprgs., CO, 2000
  • Colorado College Venture Grant, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, 1999
  • Hughes Research Grant, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, 1999
  • Suzie Cunning Olmstead Scholarship, Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, 1996-1999
Professional Affiliations

International Society for Posture and Gait Research
Movement Disorders Society (2004)
Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society (2000)
Society for the Neural Control of Movement (2003)
Society for Neuroscience, Vermont Chapter
Society for Neuroscience


Last modified September 18 2012 11:53 AM