My research interest is in chronic pain management and spasticity control using both implantable and non-invasive electrophysiological methods.

Areas of Interest

  • Spinal cord stimulation of dorsal and ventral columns for treatment of chronic pain
  • Spinal cord stimulation mechanism of action
  • Non-invasive peripheral nerve block using transcutaneous direct current stimulation, with the goal of treating acute and chronic pain as well as spasticity

Publications (Select)

Entire publication list can be found here.

  • Van Acker III GM, Bhadra N, Vrabec T, Chae J, Kilgore KL, Bhadra N Block of motor nerve conduction via transcutaneous application of direct current, Bioelectron. Med. (2018) 1(2), 107–116
  • Amundsen SL, Van Acker III GM, Luchies CW & Cheney PD Muscle synergies obtained from comprehensive mapping of the primary motor cortex forelimb representation using high-frequency, long-duration ICMS, J Neurophysiol. 2017 Jul 1;118(1):455-470. Pubmed PMID: 2844658
  • Vrabec T, Bhadra N, Van Acker GM, Bhadra N, Kilgore KL Continuous direct current nerve block using multi contact high capacitance electrodes, IEEE Trans Neural Syst Rehabil Eng. 2017 Jun;25(6):517-529. Pubmed PMID: 27411224.
  • Van Acker III GM, Luchies CW, Cheney PD. Timing of Cortico-Muscle Transmission During Active Movement. Cereb Cortex. 2016 Aug;26(8):3335-44. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhv151. PubMed PMID: 26209849.
  • Messamore WG, Van Acker III GM, Hudson HM, Zhang HY, Kovac A, Nazzaro J, Cheney PD. Cortical Effects on Ipsilateral Hindlimb Muscles Revealed with Stimulus-Triggered Averaging of EMG Activity. Cereb Cortex. 2016 Jul;26(7):3036-51. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhv122. PubMed PMID: 26088970.
  • Messamore WG, Van Acker III GM, Hudson HM, Zhang HY, Kovac A, Nazzaro J, Cheney PD. Cortical Effects on Ipsilateral Hindlimb Muscles Revealed with Stimulus-Triggered Averaging of EMG Activity. Cereb Cortex. 2015 Jun 17. pii: bhv122. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 26088970.
  • Van Acker III GM, Amundsen SL, Messamore M, Zhang HY, Luchies CW & Cheney PD. Equilibrium-based movement end-points elicited from primary motor cortex using repetitive microstimulation. J Neurosci. 2014 Nov 19;34(47):15722-34. PMID: 25411500
  • Shahdoost S, Frost S, Van Acker III GM, DeJong S, Dunham C, Barbay S, Nudo RJ & Mohseni P.Towards a miniaturized brain-machine-spinal cord interface (BMSI) for restoration of function after spinal cord injury. Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc. 2014 Aug;2014:486-9. PMID: 25570002
  • Nazzaro JM, Klemp JA, Brooks WM, Cook-Wiens G, Van Acker III GM, Mayo MS, Lyons KE & Cheney PD. Deep Brain Stimulation Lead-Contact Heating During 3T MRI: Single- versus Dual-Channel Pulse Generator Configurations. Int J Neurosci. 2014 Mar;124(3):166-74. PMID: 24000873
  • Van Acker III GM, Amundsen SL, Messamore M, Zhang HY, Hudson HM, Luchies CW, Kovac AL & Cheney PD. Effective stimulus parameters for mapping muscle synergies and associated movements evoked from primary motor cortex. J Neurophysiol. 2013 Sep;110(5):1180-9. PMID: 23741044
  • Cheney PD, Griffin DM & Van Acker III GM. Neural hijacking: Action of high-frequency electrical stimulation on cortical circuits. Neuroscientist. 2013 Oct;19(5):434-41. PMID 22968640
 

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

Investigator
Cleveland FES Center

Resident, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Case Western Reserve University

Resident, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
MetroHealth Medical Center

CONTACT INFORMATION

Program Contact
Gustaf Van Acker

Contact Number
(216) 778-2895

Contact Email
gvanacker@fescenter.org