W. Hening

Johnson University, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Papers

Total Citations

375

H-Index

About

W. Hening is a leading researcher in motor control and rehabilitation, whose work has profoundly advanced our understanding of movement disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease. His research integrates cognitive neuroscience, sensorimotor integration, and robotics to explore how the brain coordinates action and how this breaks down in disease. Hening’s seminal 2001 study on visual and proprioceptive interactions in Parkinson’s disease (188 citations) revealed critical deficits in how patients use sensory feedback to guide movement, reshaping theories of basal ganglia function. That same year, his work on procedural motor learning (136 citations) demonstrated that Parkinson’s patients retain some capacity for skill acquisition, challenging assumptions about their motor learning deficits and opening new avenues for rehabilitation. Beyond fundamental science, Hening is a pioneer in neuromotor rehabilitation robotics. His 2003 paper (51 citations) introduced the concept of “robot-aids” or “rehabilitators”—robotic devices designed not as assistive tools but as active partners in retraining movement. This visionary framework has influenced a generation of rehabilitation technologies. With a career spanning over two decades, Hening’s work bridges basic motor neuroscience and clinical application, making him a key figure in the movement to restore function in neurological populations.