# Quantitative Behavioral Assessment & Rehabilitation (QBAR)

> **NIH NIH P20** · MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA · 2020 · $212,219

## Abstract

The Quantitative Behavioral Assessment & Rehabilitation Core (QBAR) continues to build on four laboratories
within the College of Health Professions to provide state-of-the-art measurements of behavioral function (e.g.,
3-D kinematics, kinetics and electromyography) and rehabilitation interventions (locomotor, constraint-induced
movement and intensive task-oriented upper extremity training) in hemiparetic post-stroke patients. In current
practice, the measurement and intervention framework available to clinicians is theoretically insufficient and
impractical to determine relevant deficits of a post-stroke patient and prescribe efficacious interventions. We
believe that rehabilitation must move toward a model where: a) the health of a person’s motor control system
can be assayed, b) specific deficits can be identified, c) specific treatments can be used to target the deficits,
and d) quantitative measures can provide assessment of pre- and post-treatment states. This core supports
investigators in their development of measurement and intervention frameworks via five specific aims that
encompass: 1) Quantitative Behavioral Assessment, enabling investigators to study how measures of brain
plasticity and behavior can be used to guide and individualize rehabilitation and/or restorative therapies. Core
services in this role include: motion capture and electromyography for precise measures of motion and muscle
activity; energetics as measured by oxygen consumption; accelerometer-based devices for measuring activities
such as walking and hemiparetic arm use; neuromuscular measures of strength and power of individual joints;
clinical measures; and animal behavioral assay equipment. 2) Rehabilitation, enabling COBRE investigators to
study the experience-dependent nature of post-stroke plasticity by standardizing experience to optimize the
treatment effects of restorative therapies through the use of current state-of-the-art methods and/or developing
novel tools or methods. Core services in this role include: locomotor rehabilitation; upper extremity rehabilitation;
and animal model rehabilitation appropriate to animal stroke models. 3) Development of theory-based outcome
measures (behavioral “biomarkers”) and formation of large quantitative behavioral data sets for local, national
and international data sharing. 4) Multidisciplinary programmatic mentoring of all COBRE investigators. 5)
Promotion of the QBAR Core as a leading local/national/international resource for stroke recovery research.
COBRE funds will help support highly trained technical personnel to perform critical research and training
functions within the QBAR labs, as well as professional personnel with specialized expertise to serve as
Resource Mentors in rehabilitation science, exercise and energetics, and use of unique animal models. QBAR
will provide mentoring and consultation to all COBRE-affiliated investigators, especially those without primary
expertise in measurement of behavior/funct...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9904713
- **Project number:** 5P20GM109040-07
- **Recipient organization:** MEDICAL UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA
- **Principal Investigator:** STEVEN A. KAUTZ
- **Activity code:** P20 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $212,219
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-06-02 → 2024-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9904713

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9904713, Quantitative Behavioral Assessment & Rehabilitation (QBAR) (5P20GM109040-07). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9904713. Licensed CC0.

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