Prof. Dr. Silvia Daun uses mathematical models and numerical simulations to study how rhythmic motor activity in the nervous system is generated, and how this leads to locomotion and movement control. To this end, she has studied insect locomotion in order to extract general principles of motor control. Using a multi-level approach (including the modeling of signal processing of single cells or cellular networks, neuromuscular coupling, muscle dynamics and movement mechanics of the limb) she has been successful in establishing a novel view on intra- and inter-limb coordination during multi-legged locomotion. Only recently she has extended her research interests to high-level motor control, which is of primary importance for the generation of goal directed motor behavior.

Selected publications

1. Liu L, Rosjat, N., Popovych S, Wang BA, Yeldesbay A, Toth TI, Viswanathan S, Grefkes CB, Fink GF, Daun S, 2017. Age-related changes in oscillatory power affect motor action. Plos One 12(11):e0187911.
2. Popovych, S., Rosjat, N., Toth, T.I., Wang, B.A., Liu, L., Abdollahi, R.O., Viswanathan, S., Grefkes, C., Fink, G.R., Daun, S., 2016. Movement-related phase locking in the delta-theta frequency band. Neuroimage 139:439-449.
3. Rosjat N, Popovych S, Daun-Gruhn S, 2014. A mathematical model of dysfunction of the thalamo-cortical loop in schizophrenia. Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling, 11(45), 1-21.
4. Toth TI, Knops S, Daun-Gruhn S, 2012. A neuro-mechanical model explaining forward and backward stepping in the stick insect. Journal of Neurophysiology, 107(12), 3267-80.
5. Daun S, Rubin J, Rybak I, 2009. Control of oscillation periods and phase durations in half-center central pattern generators: a comparative mechanistic analysis, Journal of Computational Neuroscience, 27(1), 3-36.