Research Interests

Dr. Darling’s research focuses on control of upper limb movements and recovery of hand/digit fine motor function after brain injury. The overall research goals are to understand: (1) mechanisms underlying recovery of fine hand/digit movement control after brain injury, (2) effects of exercise on fine hand/digit movement control and cognitive function in individuals with Parkinson’s Disease and (3) fine hand/digit movement control in elderly individuals. (4) how the brain processes visual, vestibular and proprioceptive information to specify location, orientation and motion of objects and the upper limb in young and elderly subjects.

Recent Publications

Darling, W.G., Ge J., Stilwell-Morecraft, K.S., Rotella, D.L., Pizzimenti, M.A., Morecraft, R.J (2018) Hand Motor Recovery following Extensive Frontoparietal Cortical Injury is accompanied by Upregulated Corticoreticular Projections in the Monkey. Journal of Neuroscience 38:6323-6339. http://www.jneurosci.org/content/38/28/6323.long

Darling, W.G., Wall, B.M., Coffman, C.R., Capaday, C. (2018) Pointing to one’s moving hand: putative internal models do not contribute to proprioceptive acuity. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 12:177 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2018.00177/full

Wahls, T., Scot, M.O., Alshare, Z, Rubenstein, L., Darling, W., Carr, L., Smith, K., Chenard, C., LaRocca, N., Snetselaar, L. (2018) Dietary Approcahes to treat MS-related fatigue: comparing the modified Paleolithic (Wahls elimination) and low saturated fat (Swank) diets on perceived fatigue in persons with relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. BMC:Trials 19:309. https://trialsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13063-018-2680-x

Bisht, B., Darling, W.G., White, E.C., White, K.A., Shivapour, E.T., Zimmerman, M.B., Wahls, T. (2017) Effects of a multimodal intervention on gait and balance of subjects with progressive multiple sclerosis: a prospective longitudinal study. Degenerative Neurological and Neuromuscular Disease 7:79-93. https://www.dovepress.com/effects-of-a-multimodal-intervention-on-gait-a...

Weng, T.B., Pierce, G.L., Darling, W.G., Falk, D., Magnotta, V.A., Voss, M.W. (2017) The acute effects of aerobic exercise on the functional connectivity of human brain networks. Brain Plasticity 2:171-190 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29765855

Irish, A.K., Erickson, C.M., Wahls, T.L, Snetselaar, L.G., Darling, W.G. (2017) Randomized control trial evaluation of a modified Paleolithic intervention in the treatment of relapsing-remiting multiple sclerosis: a pilot study. Degenerative Neurological and neuromuscular Disease 7:1-18. https://www.dovepress.com/randomized-control-trial-evaluation-of-a-modif...

Darling, W.G., Pizzimenti, M.A., Rotella, D.L., Hynes, S.M., Ge, J., Stilwell-Morecraft, M.A., Morecraft, R.J. (2016) Sensorimotor cortex injury effects on recovery of contralesional dexterous movements in Macaca Mulatta. Experimental Neurology 281:37-52 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S001448861630084X?via%...

Ewart, S., Hynes, S.M., Darling, W.G., Capaday, C. (2016) A Donders’ like law for arm movements: the signal not the noise. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 10:136 https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00136/full

Morecraft, R.J., Ge, J., Stilwell-Morecraft, K.S., McNeal, D.W., Hynes, S.M., Pizzimenti, M.A., Rotella, D.L., Darling, W.G. (2016) Frontal and Frontoparietal Injury Differentially affect the Ipsilateral Corticospinal Projection from the Non-lesioned Hemisphere in Monkey (Macaca mulatta). Journal of Comparative Neurology 524:380-407. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cne.23861

Hussain, S., Darling, W.G., Cole, K.J. (2016) Recent history of effector use modulates practice-dependent changes in corticospinal excitability but not motor learning. Brain Stimulation 9:584-593 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1935861X16300493?via%...

Current Support

NIH R01: NS097450 "Rehabilitation Mechanisms of Hand Motor Recovery After Sensorimotor Cortex Injury" (role: co-investigator, subcontract PI 2016-2020)
National Multiple Sclerosis Society "Dietary approaches to treating multiple sclerosis.” ( role: co-investigator)

Recent Completed Support

NIH R21: AG048170 “Bridging acute and long-term exercise effects on brain function in older adults.” (role:co-investigator; 2015-2017)
NIH RO1: NS46367 “Mechanisms of recovery following subtotal brain injury” (role: co-investigator, subcontract PI; 2010-2014
VA Merit Grant: The effects of fitness on Parkinson’s Disease. (role: co-investigator; 2009-2012)
NIH R21: NS067189 Acquisition and retention of locomotor adaptations after stroke. (role: co-investigator; 2010-2012)
MS Foundation of Canada: Locomotor rehabilitation in MS with neuromuscular stimulation, exercise and nutrition. (role: co-investigator; 2010 – 2012)