# Cortical control and biomechanics of tongue movement

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO · 2023 · $661,153

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This research will break new ground in sensorimotor neuroscience by relating cortical and muscle activity data
to shape change in a soft-bodied organ, making it possible to evaluate the generalizability of basic principles of
motor control across musculoskeletal systems. It will develop and test a computational biomechanical model of
tongue function that relates muscle activity to tongue movements, complementing ongoing modeling studies of
human tongues based on more limited kinematic and muscle activity data. By using variation in natural feeding
behavior to elicit a range of hyolingual kinematics, the research will provide insight into the impact of dietary
modification—a treatment for dysphagia—on hyolingual kinematics. This research will lay the groundwork for
development of hyolingual neuroprostheses driven by cortical signals to facilitate chewing and swallowing after
(e.g., cancer) surgery or degenerative diseases, and for better techniques for non-invasive brain stimulation,
muscle stimulation, and rehabilitation exercises used in treatment of, e.g., dysphagia and dysarthria.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10781477
- **Project number:** 1R01NS134968-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
- **Principal Investigator:** Nicholas G Hatsopoulos
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $661,153
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-20 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10781477

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10781477, Cortical control and biomechanics of tongue movement (1R01NS134968-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10781477. Licensed CC0.

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