Neuromotor behavior and exercise

Uncertainty when walking and fear of falling are among the most common problems experienced by older people, limiting many individuals in their daily lives. Walking together can have a positive effect on gait stability and complexity.
In this project, we are investigating whether regular training in an interpersonal walking task has positive effects on a) the task itself, b) general gait parameters, and c) solo walking with an additional task. Data collection will take place from November 2025 to January 2026. During your thesis, you will gain experience in laboratory research with older adults and empirical data analysis."

Prof. Eric Eils will take up a  visiting professorship in training science and sports medicine at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg in the winter term25/26. We wish him every success and a fruitful semester in Halle (Saale).

We’re excited to launch the TBrainBoost Workshop 3.0 at the WGI in Münster, Germany.
Topic: Sports science – (Research and Knowledge) Transfer under the umbrella of diversity
This workshop brings together experts, researchers, and practitioners to exchange ideas, share insights, and explore practical approaches to research and knowledge transfer in sports. The program includes inspiring lectures, interactive discussions, and practical exercises—all under the guiding principles of healthy aging, sports science, and diversity.
 

In our PROGRESS study, published in Frontiers in Aging, we are investigating an innovative prevention program for nursing homes. Using a cluster-randomized, controlled crossover design, we are examining the influence of behavioral and environmental prevention measures promoting physical activity on the physical activity and functional ability of residents. The goal is to establish everyday, sustainable exercise promotion in nursing facilities.
 

In the summer semester of 2025, students of the Bachelor's program Human Movement in Sports and Exercise had the unique opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge directly to sports practice. As part of the seminar "Physical Training in Elite Sports – Tailored Physical Training for Female Rugby Players," they worked closely with the Rugby Tourists Münster, a women’s rugby sevens team with one clear goal: qualifying for the German Championships in August.
 

Our current study, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, provides important findings: A better fitness level correlates positively with cognitive control in patients with depression. The study conducted on 66 patients shows that this positive effect is independent of the severity of the depression. The results emphasize the potential of physical exercise to improve the cognitive health of people with depression.

At the 30th Congress of the European College of Sport Science, Matthias Hendricks, PD Dr. Dieter Kutz and Prof. Dr. E. Eils presented their current research findings and received valuable feedback from the specialist community. Prof. Dr. E. Eils also chaired several events. The conference offered numerous opportunities for scientific exchange and networking with national and international experts in the field of international sports science.
 

In sometimes difficult climatic conditions, the Neuromotor & Training department's running team put in a strong performance at this year's Leonardo Campus Run, and were rewarded with the obligatory isotonic cold drink afterwards.

The Institute of Sports Science in the Department of Neuromotor Skills and Training at the University of Münster is seeking to fill the position of Research Assistant (E 13 TV-L) in the third-party funded GRASB project as soon as possible, 01.10.2025. Subject to the approval of funds, a part-time position (65%) is offered for the duration of the project until 31.08.2027. You will find the detailed information here

We are seeking motivated students with an interest in experimental research on multitasking. This bachelor’s/master’s thesis provides a valuable opportunity to gain hands-on experience in psychological research using a driving simulator and classical laboratory settings to explore behavior.
If you’re curious about taking on this thesis project, feel free to get in touch with:
Piesie Akwasi Gyimah Asuako
 

This study used structural equation modelling (SEM) to investigate whether retinal vascular density (VD) is related to individual executive function (EF) performance in healthy older adults, with haematocrit as a mediator. The results showed that there was no significant direct or indirect correlation between VD and EF, but there was a significant regression of haematocrit on EF performance. The authors concluded that changes in retinal VD are not a suitable parameter for predicting cognitive decline in healthy older adults, while higher haematocrit levels appear to have a positive effect on EF.
In: Experimental Brain Research

As part of Girls' Day 2025, we welcomed 12 curious and motivated young participants to explore the world of sports science at the University of Münster. Throughout the day, through a combination of presentations, hands-on activities and live demonstrations the participants gained valuable insights into the various research groups - movement science, sport psychology and neuromotor behavior and exercise, studying human movement. They also received a tour of our sports facilities and together we ate lunch at the university cafeteria. It was a great day full of discovery, inspiration, and new perspectives!

This year's retreat of the Neuromotor & Training department at the Landhaus Rothenberge focused on two topics. On the one hand, “Artificial intelligence and its use in everyday university life” and on the other, “open science” and “linear models”. As always, there was also plenty of time for interesting discussions and numerous team-building highlights.

Cognitive and emotional factors influence the motor dual-task performance of nursing home residents. This is reflected in a decrease in walking speed with increasing cognitive load under dual-task conditions. Thus and physical well-being influence walking performance, whereby a higher cognitive load cognitive load reduces the influence of emotional factors on walking. Reducing fear of falling and improving well-being can improve the mobility of nursing home residents. You'll find the original paper here
 

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Ross Julian from the Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise has been appointed as the new Degree Programme Coordinator for the Bachelor of Science in Human Movement in Sport and Exercise and the Master's Programme Sports, Exercise and Human Performance, effective at the beginning of this year.
Ross has been an integral part of the study programmes since 2017 and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this role. His passion for the field and commitment to enhancing the student experience will undoubtedly contribute to both programmes' further growth and development.
Please join us in congratulating Ross on his new position. We are excited to see how his leadership will positively impact our academic community.

‘’We warmly welcome Dilşah Gençaslan , who joins our team in the Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise at the University of Münster as a fellow in the TReND Doctoral Network. She will be working on her PhD researching the relationship between cognition and motor variability in ageing and Parkinson’s Disease (PD) patients.
 
Dilşah Gençaslan was born in Ankara and raised in Çorum, Türkiye. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Akdeniz University in Antalya and went on to complete a Master’s degree in Clinical Neuroscience at Dokuz Eylül University in İzmir. Her Master’s thesis examined the relationship between the level of emotion expression among caregivers of patients with schizophrenia and the severity of thought disorder in those patients. She also gained research experience as an intern in the Department of Biopsychology at Ruhr University Bochum. We are excited to have her on board and look forward to her contributions to our research community.’’