Research Lab

• NERDD Lab (Novel Environments for Reducing Disability & Dysfunction)

Professional Interests

• Underlying mechanisms of motor control and motor learning
• Development of evidence-based interventions for the treatment of neurological injuries
• Non-invasive neuromodulation (TMS, tDCS, tACS)

Education

• 2022: Ph.D. in Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University
• 2021: Graduate Certificate in Translational Science, Pennsylvania State University
• 2018: O.T.D. in Occupational Therapy, Washington University in St. Louis
• 2014: B.A. in Movement & Exercise Science, University of Northern Iowa

Certifications

• Virginia Occupational Therapy License
• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

Grants

• Sainburg & Tunik (MPI), 2024 – 2029
  “Lateralization of posterior-parietal cortex contributions to motor learning”
  NIH NINDS R01 NS139424
  Role: Co-Investigator
• Dexheimer & Krusienski (co-PIs), 2024 – 2025
  “Altering sensory perception in virtual reality to elicit naturalistic movements”
  Virginia Commonwealth University Quest Grant
• Dexheimer (PI), 2023 – 2025
  “A novel method of quantifying lateralized fine motor impairments in Parkinson’s Disease”
  Shirley Ryan AbilityLab C-STAR (Center for Smart Use of Technologies to Assess Real World Outcomes)

Selected Publications

• Dexheimer, B., Sainburg, R. When the non-dominant arm dominates: the effects of visual information and task experience on speed-accuracy advantages. Exp Brain Res 239, 655–665 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-020-06011-6
• Maenza, C., Sainburg, R.L., Varghese, R., Dexheimer, B., Demers, M., Bishop, L., Jayasinghe, S.A., Wagstaff, D.A. & Winstein, C. Ipsilesional arm training in severe stroke to improve functional independence (IPSI): phase II protocol. BMC Neurol 22, 141 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12883-022-02643-z
• Dexheimer, B., Przybyla, A., Murphy, T.E., Akpinar, S. & Sainburg, R.L. Reaction time asymmetries provide insight into mechanisms underlying dominant and non-dominant hand selection. Exp Brain Res 240, 2791–2802 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-022-06451-2
• Dexheimer, B., Sainburg, R., Sharp, S., Philip, B.A. (2024). Roles of Handedness and Hemispheric Lateralization: Implications for Rehabilitation of the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems: A Rapid Review. Am J Occup Ther 78(2), 7802180120. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2024.050398
• Kitchen, N.M.*, Dexheimer, B.*, Yuk, J., Maenza, C., Ruelos, P.R., Kim, T. and Sainburg, R.L. (2024), The complementary dominance hypothesis: a model for remediating the ‘good’ hand in stroke survivors. J Physiol. https://doi.org/10.1113/JP285561 *Denotes equal contribution to this work

Selected Abstracts

• Dexheimer, B., Sandberg, C.W., Selby, K., Jayasinghe, S.A.L., Kantak, S., & Sainburg, R.L. (2022, July). Anodal (excitatory) HD-tDCS demonstrates a contralateral role of the left posterior parietal cortex in interlimb transfer of learning. Poster session, Occupational Therapy Summit of Scholars. Madison, WI.
• Dexheimer, B., Sandberg, C.W., Selby, K., Jayasinghe, S.A.L., Kantak, S., & Sainburg, R.L. (2022, November). Anodal (excitatory) HD-tDCS demonstrates a contralateral role of the left posterior parietal cortex in interlimb transfer of learning. Poster session, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA.
• Kitchen, N., Dexheimer, B., Sandberg, C.W., Selby, K., & Sainburg, R.L. (2022, November). The interaction of hand and hemisphere on interlimb transfer of visuomotor learning: An anodal HD-tDCS study targeting posterior parietal cortex. Poster session, Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting. San Diego, CA.
• Sharp, S., Dexheimer, B. (2024, April). Examining the effect of non-invasive brain stimulation on hemispheric lateralization of motor learning during a functional fine motor task. Poster session, American Occupational Therapy Association Inspire. Orlando, FL.
• Sharp, S., Manning, J., Pidcoe, P., & Dexheimer, B. (2024, April). Investigating the lateralized role of posterior parietal cortex for fine motor control during a tablet-based tracing task using HD-tDCS. Poster session, Annual Meeting of the American Society of Neurorehabilitation. San Antonio, TX.