Tara
L.
McIsaac, PT, PhD
Professor
Dr. McIsaac has over three decades of clinical experience treating adults with neurological conditions, focused on the neurodegenerative disorders of Parkinson disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s, Huntington’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Dr. McIsaac’s research focuses on the interaction of attention and movement (multi-tasking) in older adults and people with neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson disease.
When not working, she and her wife, Marcia, and their dog, Jesse, can usually be found roaming the country in their camper, hiking, biking, and horseback riding, or relaxing with a good book or films.
Research Focus
Cognitive Motor Interaction; Neurorehabilitation, Neurodegenerative Diseases, Motor Learning and Control
Department
Physical Therapy (Phoenix)
Position
Professor
Publications
- Physiotherapy Theory and Practice
Kuettel J., McIsaac T. L., Bay R. C., Configuration variability of the six-minute walk test among licensed physical therapists working with neurologic conditions: a pilot survey 2022 - Sensors
Mostafa T. A., Cheng I., Soltaninejad S., McIsaac T. L., A comparative study of time frequency representation techniques for freeze of gait detection and prediction
21:19 2021 - Applied Sciences (Switzerland)
Becker J. J., McIsaac T. L., Copeland S. L., Cohen R. G., Alexander technique vs. Targeted exercise for neck pain—a preliminary comparison
11:10 2021 - Frontiers in Psychology
McIsaac T. L., Fritz N. E., Quinn L., Muratori L. M., Cognitive-motor interference in neurodegenerative disease: A narrative review and implications for clinical management
9 2018 - Aging Clinical and Experimental Research
Porciuncula F. S., Rao A. K., McIsaac T. L., Aging-related decrements during specific phases of the dual-task Timed Up-and-Go test
28:1, p. 121 - 130 2016 - Journal of dance medicine & science : official publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science
Coker E., McIsaac T. L., Nilsen D., Motor imagery modality in expert dancers: an investigation of hip and pelvis kinematics in demi-plié and sauté
19:2, p. 63 - 69 2015 - BioMed Research International
McIsaac T. L., Lamberg E. M., Muratori L. M., Building a framework for a dual task taxonomy
2015 2015 - Experimental Brain Research
McIsaac T. L., Benjapalakorn B., Allocation of attention and dual-task effects on upper and lower limb task performance in healthy young adults
233:9, p. 2607 - 2617 2015 - Muscle and Nerve
Montes J., De Vivo D. C., Rao A. K., McIsaac T. L., Dunaway S., Kamil-Rosenberg S., Sproule D., Garber C. E., Falls and spinal muscular atrophy: Exploring cause and prevention
47:1, p. 118 - 123 2013 - Journal of dance medicine & science : official publication of the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science
Girón E. C., McIsaac T., Nilsen D., Effects of kinesthetic versus visual imagery practice on two technical dance movements: a pilot study.
16:1, p. 36 - 38 2012 - Gerontology
Diermayr G., Gordon A. M., McIsaac T. L., Finger force coordination underlying object manipulation in the elderly - A mini-review
57:3, p. 217 - 227 2011 - Experimental Brain Research
Zhang W., Gordon A. M., McIsaac T. L., Santello M., Within-trial modulation of multi-digit forces to friction
211:1, p. 17 - 26 2011 - Gait and Posture
Diermayr G., McIsaac T. L., Kaminski T. R., Gordon A. M., Aging effects on object transport during gait
34:3, p. 334 - 339 2011 - Experimental Brain Research
McIsaac T. L., Santello M., Johnston J. A., Zhang W., Gordon A. M., Task-specific modulation of multi-digit forces to object texture
194:1, p. 79 - 90 2009 - Experimental Brain Research
McIsaac T. L., Fuglevand A. J., Common synaptic input across motor nuclei supplying intrinsic muscles involved in the precision grip
188:1, p. 159 - 164 2008 - Journal of neurophysiology
McIsaac T. L., Fuglevand A. J., Motor-unit synchrony within and across compartments of the human flexor digitorum superficialis
97:1, p. 550 - 556 2007 - Experimental Brain Research
McIsaac T. L., Fuglevand A. J., Influence of tactile afferents on the coordination of muscles during a simulated precision grip
174:4, p. 769 - 774 2006 - NeuroImage
De Weerd P., Reinke K., Ryan L., McIsaac T., Perschler P., Schnyer D., Trouard T., Gmitro A., Cortical mechanisms for acquisition and performance of bimanual motor sequences
19:4, p. 1405 - 1416 2003