About the Institute of Movement and Neuroscience

The Institute of Movement and Neurosciences at the German Sport University in Cologne is divided into the following departments: 

• Movement Technique, Movement Learning and Media Didactics: Athletics - Swimming - Gymnastics – Golf (I)
• Movement-Neurosciences (II)
• Movement- and Health Promotion (III)
• Movement Rehabilitation, Neuromechanics and Paralympic Sport (IV)

Section I focuses on the observation of main motor forms of demand: coordination, strength, speed, endurance and flexibility in athletics, swimming and gymnastics. Aspects of motor learning play an important role.   

Central focus of section II is the analysis of the effect of physical activity on the brain of active and inactive people of different ages under specific environmental conditions. Another focus is on the aspects of sport for people with disabilities and reduced output.  

The research in section III is focused on relationships between (in)- active leisure activities and motor development or the performance of children and adolescents.  

Section IV deals with specific aspects of movement science from rehabilitation to toplevel sport, especially in Paralympic sports. Neuromechanics an interdisciplinary approach to movement research that combines methods and findings from neuroscience and human mechanics is a central link here but also an independent field of research.

The Institute is a member of the following central scientific institutions of the University: the German Research Center for Elite Sport Cologne (momentum), Center for Integrative Physiology in Space (ZIP), Research Group Neuroplasticity and Neuro mechanics (FNN).