University of Florida · NeuroscienceCognitive Health and Movement Lab
David J Clark · Gainesville, Florida
Research Focus
Dr. David J. Clark's lab at the University of Florida focuses on finding new ways to help older adults maintain their cognitive and walking abilities. The lab studies how combining physical exercise with brain stimulation can improve brain function and prevent decline associated with aging. They aim to create effective interventions that specifically target brain areas involved in thinking and walking, which can enhance overall mental and physical health in older adults.
cognitive functionwalking exercisebrain stimulationAlzheimer's diseaseolder adultsneuroplasticitytDCSaerobic exerciseexecutive functionfunctional near infrared spectroscopy
Research Aims
5AIM 01Establish efficacy of tDCS during complex walking exercise for improving executive function.
AIM 02Investigate mechanisms of response to the combined intervention through brain activity modeling.
AIM 03Develop a framework for multi-site research on cognitive and motor interventions.
AIM 04Determine the long-term effects of combined physical and electrical stimulation on cognitive decline.
AIM 05Assess the feasibility of a clinically-applicable intervention for older adults.
Skills the Lab Values
brain imaging techniquestranscranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)aerobic exercise programsclinical trial designdata analysis using statistical softwareparticipant recruitmentpsychomotor skill assessmentscognitive testing methodsmultimodal intervention strategies
Output against the department
Publications286top 24% of dept.162nd of 671
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations21ktop 20% of dept.137th of 671
this lab
most citedleast cited
Career totals from OpenAlex, compared against labs that share a department. A department spans everything from one paper to tens of thousands, so bar heights are on a log scale — otherwise the largest lab would flatten every other bar to a line.