About the Lab
The Neural Health Research Laboratory is a ~1,000 sq. ft. research facility (WB 306A) associated with the Department of Exercise Science (Falk College) at Syracuse University. Our mission is to perform high-quality research that is both innovative and impactful. The NHR Lab uses state-of-the-art technology to investigate the neural and muscular changes with aging, training, fatigue, disease, and more.
Lab Director:
Dr. Jason DeFreitas
Professor & Department Chair
Email: jmdefrei@syr.edu
Research Interests:
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Neural Health and Plasticity
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Muscular Health and Plasticity
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Sensory and Motor deficits with Aging and/or Disease
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Adaptations to Physical Activity Interventions, especially Strength Training
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Equipment & Techniques
Click on image to learn more
Our lab uses mobile brain imaging (fNIRS) technology to examine brain activity non-invasively during various sensory and motor tasks.
Our lab uses magnetic fields (using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or TMS) to stimulate the motor areas of the brain. This allows us to test the integrity of the brain's motor pathways, and quantify how they're affected by age, training, and more.
We evaluate postural stability. This includes static measures, such as how much a person sways while standing, as well as dynamic measures, such as their ability to adjust to movements. These evaluations can help assess an individual’s risk of falling.
We use light electrical stimulation to non-invasively stimulate the peripheral nerves. Like TMS, this helps us test the integrity of the neural pathways.
The brain controls muscles through the use of neurons (“motor neurons”). Our decomposition systems allow us to non-invasively assess the activity and behavior of those neurons (by recording motor unit activity).
Ultrasound allows us to assess architectural differences in the body’s soft tissues, such as muscle, nerve, or tendon.
Lab Alumni
Dr. Garrett Hester
Associate Professor
Kennesaw State University
Completed PhD under the mentorship of Dr. DeFreitas at Oklahoma State University
Dr. Alejandra Barrera-Curiel
Assistant Professor
Tarleton State University
Completed PhD under the mentorship of Dr. DeFreitas at Oklahoma State University
Dr. JoCarol Shields
Postdoctoral Research Associate
Syracuse University
Completed PhD under the mentorship of Dr. DeFreitas at Oklahoma State University
Dr. Mitch Magrini
Assistant Professor
Creighton University
Completed PhD under the mentorship of Dr. DeFreitas at Oklahoma State University
Dr. Micheal Luera
Assistant Professor
Tarleton State University
Completed PhD under the mentorship of Dr. DeFreitas at Oklahoma State University
Dr. Robert MacLennan
Postdoctoral Research Associate
University of Florida
Completed PhD under the mentorship of Dr. DeFreitas at Oklahoma State University
Dr. Cameron Mackey
Private Sector
Completed PhD under the mentorship of Dr. DeFreitas at Oklahoma State University
Dr. Jesús Hernandez-Sarabia
Assistant Professor
Tarleton State University
Completed PhD under the mentorship of Dr. DeFreitas at Oklahoma State University
Dr. Shawn Reese
Assistant Professor
Fairmont State University
Completed PhD under the mentorship of Dr. DeFreitas at Oklahoma State University
Collaborators
Dr. Matt Stock
Associate Professor
University of Central Florida
Dr. Scott Crawford
Assistant Professor
University of Wisconsin
Dr. Nathaniel Jenkins
Associate Professor
University of Iowa
Dr. Xin Ye
Associate Professor
University of Hartford
Neuromuscular Function
Dr. Alex Olmos
Assistant Professor
Christopher Newport University
Neuromuscular Physiology
Dr. Joshua Carr
Assistant Professor
Kansas State University
Neuromuscular Physiology Lab
Dr. Bree Baker
Assistant Professor
Oklahoma State University
Dr. Nathan Wages
Assistant Professor
Rutgers University
Select Publications
These are not our latest publications, but rather the research that best highlights what we do.
For a list of our most recent research, please click here
1 - Brain Imaging/Stimulation
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Danielson TL, Gould L, DeFreitas JM, MacLennan RJ, Ekstrand C, Borowsky R, Farthing JP, and J.W. Andrushko. Activity in the pontine reticular nuclei scales with handgrip force in humans. Journal of Neurophysiology 2024 May: 131(5), 807-814. DOI: 10.1152/jn.00407.2023, BioRχiv preprint.
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MacLennan RJ, Hernandez-Sarabia JA, Reese SM, Shields JE, Smith CM, Stute K, Collyar J, Olmos AA, Danielson TL, MacLennan DL, Pagan JI, Girts RM, Harmon KK, Coker NA, Carr JC, Ye X, Perry JW, Stock MS, and J.M. DeFreitas*. fNIRS is capable of distinguishing laterality of lower body contractions. Experimental Brain Research 2024 May: 242(5): 1115-1126 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-024-06798-8
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Beausejour JP, Rusch J, Knowles KS, Pagan JI, Chaput M, Norte GE, DeFreitas J.M., and M.S. Stock. A comparison of techniques to determine active motor threshold for transcranial magnetic stimulation research. Brain Research 2024 Nov.; DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149111
2 - Aging
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Shields JE, Smith CM, Reese SM, Dos Santos ML, Parodi M, and JM DeFreitas*. Quantifying the trainability of peripheral nerve function in young and older adults. Preprint submitted to MedRχiv on Oct. 1, 2024
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Magrini M.A., Colquhoun R.J., Ferrell M.C., Fleming S.R., Mota J.A., Siedlik J.A., Poidomani N.M., Jenkins N.D.M., and J.M. DeFreitas. The influence of motor unit number and muscle activation on early phase rate of torque development in younger and older men. J Mot Behav. 2022;54(4):422-428. DOI: 10.1080/00222895.2021.2001412
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Hester G.M., Magrini M.A., Colquhoun R.J., Barrera-Curiel A., Estrada C.A., Olmos A., Baily A.R., Ha P.L., and J.M. DeFreitas*. Cross-Education: Effects of age on rapid and maximal contractile characteristics. Eur J Appl Physiol 2019 Jun:119(6)
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Magrini M.A., Thiele R.M., Colquhoun R.J., Barrera-Curiel A., Blackstock T.S., and J.M. DeFreitas*. The reactive leg drop: a simple and novel sensory-motor assessment to predict fall risk in older individuals. J Neurophysiol 2018 Apr 1; 119(4)
3 - Motor Control
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Danielson TL, Gould L, DeFreitas JM, MacLennan RJ, Ekstrand C, Borowsky R, Farthing JP, and J.W. Andrushko. Activity in the pontine reticular nuclei scales with handgrip force in humans. Journal of Neurophysiology 2024 May: 131(5), 807-814. DOI: 10.1152/jn.00407.2023, BioRχiv preprint.
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Carr J.C., Bemben M.G., Stock M.S., and J.M. DeFreitas. Ipsilateral and contralateral responses following unimanual fatigue with and without illusionary mirror visual feedback. J Neurophysiol 2021 Jun 1:125(6) PMID: 33909484
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Barrera-Curiel A., Colquhoun R.J., Hernandez-Sarabia J., and J.M. DeFreitas*. The effects of vibration-induced altered stretch reflex sensitivity on maximal motor unit firing properties. J Neurophys 2019 Jun 1:121(6)
4 - Adaptations to Training
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Shields JE, Smith CM, Reese SM, Dos Santos ML, Parodi M, and JM DeFreitas*. Quantifying the trainability of peripheral nerve function in young and older adults. Preprint submitted to MedRχiv on Oct. 1, 2024
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Hester G.M., Pope Z.K., Magrini M.A., Colquhoun R.J., Barrera-Curiel A., Estrada C.A., Olmos A., and J.M. DeFreitas*. Age does not attenuate maximal velocity adaptations in the ipsilateral and contralateral limbs during unilateral resistance training. J Aging Phys Act 2019 Feb 1; 27(1)
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Stock M.S., Mota J.A., DeFranco R.N., Grue K.A., Jacobo A.U., Chung E., Moon J.R., DeFreitas J.M., and T.W. Beck. The time course of short-term hypertrophy in the absence of eccentric muscle damage. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2017 May; 117(5)
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Pope Z.K., Hester G.M., Benik F.M., and J.M. DeFreitas*. Action potential amplitude as a non-invasive indicator of motor unit specific hypertrophy. J Neurophysiol. 2016 May; 115(5)
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DeFreitas J.M., Beck T.W., Stock M.S., Dillon M.A., and P.R. Kasishke. An examination of the time course of training-induced skeletal muscle hypertrophy. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2011; 111(11)