Dr. Gerstner's research has two foci:
Focus 1: The ultimate and proximate mechanisms of oral motor behaviors. Proximate studies focus on electrophysiological and biomechanical mechanisms of chewing rhythm control and modulation. Ultimate studies focus on the interaction between form and function, cross-species comparisons, and the dynamics of natural behavior patterns in the field. Field work is performed in local parks, several zoological parks and gardens, and selective US National Parks.
Focus 2: The neural and physiological mechanisms of chronic temporomandibular disorder (TMD) pain. Studies rely on functional imaging (fMRI, fcMRI, H-SPECT) methods, evoked pain paradigms and psychometric tests for studies of the relationships between clinical pain and evoked pain and between clinical pain and co-morbidities. Collaborators: Dan Clauw, Department of Anesthesiology, Pia Sundgren, Department of Radiology, Richard Harris, Department of Anesthesiology, Richard Gracely, Department of Internal Medicine, Eric Ichesco, School of Dentistry, Rupal Patel, Department of Anesthesiology.