Mary Jo Cantoria
Papers
2
Total Citations
51
H-Index
2
About
Dr. Mary Jo Cantoria is a leading neuroscientist whose work illuminates how the spinal cord adapts after severe injury, with a focus on restoring locomotion. Her research centers on the neurochemistry of gait generation and the optimization of robotic rehabilitation for spinal cord injury (SCI). In a landmark 2011 study (26 citations), Dr. Cantoria demonstrated that adaptations in glutamate and glycine content within the lumbar spinal cord are critical for generating novel stepping patterns following neonatal spinal cord transection, revealing that local neurotransmitter systems can independently drive locomotion. Complementing this, her highly cited 2011 paper (25 citations) on robotic training in spinally contused rats provided a pivotal insight: robotic assistance that *encourages* active stepping—rather than fully assisting movements—is superior for motor learning. This finding has directly influenced the design of rehabilitation protocols, challenging fully passive robotic assistance. Dr. Cantoria’s work bridges fundamental neurobiology and translational engineering, establishing her as a key figure in developing more effective, activity-based therapies for SCI. Her contributions continue to shape how researchers and clinicians approach neural recovery and robotic rehabilitation.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2