Wendy E. Huddleston, PT, PhD

Education

Post-doctoral Fellowship, Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics, 2006 (Advisor: Nikos Logothetis, PhD; Area of Emphasis: Visual Neuroscience) 

PhD, Medical College of Wisconsin, 2005 (Major: Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy; Supporting Areas of Emphasis: Cognitive Neuroscience; Dissertation Title: “The relationship between visuospatial attention and task performance in parietal and occipital cortices”) 

MS, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1997 (Major: Human Kinetics; Supporting Areas of Emphasis: Motor Control and Biomechanics, Thesis Title: “Contributions of sensory and motor system status to pinch force control in three age groups” 

BS, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 1990 (Major: Physical Therapy)

Speaker Topics

The Neuroscience of Movement: Linking Brain, Attention, and Motor Control 

• How attention and cognition shape human movement and performance 

Visuomotor Attention and the Brain 

• Understanding visual and motor attention systems and their interaction 

• Insights from neuroimaging and behavioral research 

The “Thinking Brain” in Physical Therapy and Sports Performance 

• Integrating neurocognitive factors into clinical and training programs 

• How dual-tasking and mental demands influence biomechanics and performance 

• Applications for injury prevention and rehabilitation 

From Lab to Real World: Ecological Validity in Movement Science 

• Studying movement in complex, realistic environments using modern tools 

• Bridging controlled experiments with functional performance 

Interests & Expertise

Wendy E. Huddleston, PT, PhD is an Associate Professor and Director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where she also serves as Director of the Visuomotor Laboratory, a role she has held since 2006. Trained as both a physical therapist and neuroscientist, Dr. Huddleston’s work bridges rehabilitation science, cognitive neuroscience, motor control, and biomechanics to better understand how the brain controls movement. Dr. Huddleston’s research specifically focuses on the neural mechanisms underlying visuomotor attention and movement control, with particular emphasis on how attentional and cognitive processes shape motor planning and execution. Her work investigates the role of the posterior parietal cortex and attention-related brain networks in guiding behavior, the interaction between visual and motor attention systems, and how these processes change with aging, injury, and cognitive load.  

Through the Visuomotor Laboratory, her team uses an interdisciplinary approach that integrates neuroimaging (fMRI), eye tracking, biomechanics, and immersive virtual reality environments to study sensory–motor integration and movement in ecologically relevant contexts. A central goal of this work is to translate insights from neuroscience into improved strategies for injury prevention, rehabilitation, and performance optimization, particularly in relation to lower‑extremity injury risk and movement variability. 

In addition to her research, Dr. Huddleston is deeply committed to mentoring students and advancing innovation in physical therapy education. Her work reflects a translational perspective—connecting brain, behavior, and movement to improve human health and function. 

Current Research

Neural basis of visuomotor attention and motor control 

• Neural mechanisms linking visual attention and movement execution 

• Interaction between visual and motor attention systems 

• Role of the posterior parietal cortex in attention‑mediated motor behavior 

• Population attention and motor fields in the human brain as identified with task-based fMRI 

Neurocognitive contributions to musculoskeletal injury 

• Influence of mental workload (attention, dual tasks) on lower extremity mechanics and injury risk 

• Relationship between cognitive capacity and injury risk (e.g., ACL injury) 

• Quantifying resting-state brain activity (using fMRI) relative to lower extremity injury risk and injury prevention 

Virtual reality and eye tracking applications in movement science 

• Use of immersive VR and eye tracking to study decision-making and motor behavior (e.g., sport tasks) 
• Effects of environmental complexity on cognitive load and movement 

Selection of Intellectual Contributions 

Heintz Walters, B, Huddleston, WE, O’Connor, KM, Wang, J, Keenan, K (2025) Age-related differences in eye movements and the association with Archimedes spiral tracing in young and older adults. Experimental Brain Research, 243(2), 1-15  

Sigmund, KJ, Bement, MKH, Huddleston, WE, Ebersole, KT and Earl-Boehm, JE (2025). Pain is modulated differently between females with and without patellofemoral pain: Factors related to sensitization. Journal of Athletic Training, 60(2)125-133 

DeYoe, EA, Huddleston, WE, and Greenberg, AS (2024). Are neuronal mechanisms of attention universal across human sensory and motor brain maps? Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. 31: 2371-2389  

Huddleston, WE, Probasco, MO, Reyes, MN (2023). The lower kinetic chain has a brain: Could adding cognitive demands to lower limb injury prevention programs improve outcomes? JOSPT, 53(4), 159-161 

Heintz-Walters, B, Huddleston, WE, O'Connor, K, Hoeger-Bement, M, Keenan, K (2023). Visual feedback and declines in attention are associated with altered visual strategy during a force-steadiness task in older adults. Journal of Neurophysiology. 130(5):1309-1320 

Abdollahi, S, Sheikhhoseini, R, Rahimi, M, Huddleston, WE (2023). The sacroiliac dysfunction and pain can predict lower extremity sport related injuries. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehab, 15(1), 36 

Abdollahi, S, Sheikhhoseini, R, Roostayi, MM, Huddleston, WE (2022). The effect of fatigue on electromechanical response times in basketball players with and without persistent low back pain. Scientific Reports, 12, 17849 

Niemeyer, M, Probasco, MO, Worby, TN, Loertscher, D, Soderbeck, LK, Huddleston, WE (2022). Lower kinetic chain, meet the thinking brain: A scoping review of cognitive function and lower extremity injury risk. International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, 17(5), 787-815 

Huddleston, WE, Swanson, A, Lytle, J, Aleksandrowicz, MS (2021). Distinct saccade planning and endogenous visuospatial attention maps in parietal cortex: A basis for functional differences in sensory and motor attention. Cortex, 137, 292-304 

Heintz Walters, B, Huddleston, WE, O'Connor, KM, Wang, J, Hoeger Bement, M, Keenan, K (2021). The role of eye movements, attention, and hand movements on age-related differences in pegboard tests. Journal of Neurophysiology, 126(5), 1710-1722 

Selected Presentations 

Kellner, M, Huguet, A, Seul, C, Thomas, J, Huddleston, WE (2026). The impact of environmental complexity on soccer pass decision making using virtual reality. American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, February, Anaheim, CA (platform) 

Huddleston, WE (2026). Resting state brain activation correlates to differences in ground reaction forces due to cognitive load. American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, February, Anaheim, CA  

Huddleston, WE, Braun, K, Lenz, D, Stoker, S, Welch, L, Ebersole, K (2026). The relative effects of secondary cognitive versus motor tasks on lower extremity performance. American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting, February, Anaheim, CA  

Huddleston, WE, Hofer, A, Krage, C, Ladd, S, Thomas, J (2025). Varying ecological validity of the virtual environment influences soccer pass reaction times. Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology. November, Montreal, Canada 

Somers, H and Huddleston WE (2025). Regions of activation in the posterior parietal cortex based on attention allocated towards a task. Neuroscience Research Retreat, Neuroscience Research Center MCW, April, Milwaukee 

Huddleston, WE, Greenberg, AS and DeYoe, EA (2024). Voxel-wise quantification of attention-based saccade planning. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, October, Chicago, IL 

DeYoe, EA, Greenberg, AS and Huddleston WE (2024). Are neuronal mechanisms of attention universal across human sensory and motor brain maps? Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, October, Chicago, IL 

Walters, BH, Huddleston, WE (2023). The effect of cognitive load on visual strategy during upper and lower extremity motor tasks across older adults with varying attentional capacity. North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity, June, Toronto, Ontario Canada. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 45:S31-32 

Huddleston, WE, Penning, M, Soderbeck, L, Greenberg, AS, DeYoe, EA (2022). Intra- and Inter-individual variation in saccade accuracy and motor attention fields in human parietal cortex. Society for Neuroscience Annual Conference, November, San Diego, CA 

Huddleston, WE, Penning, MJ, Greenberg, AS, DeYoe, EA (2022). Beyond population receptive fields: Population attention fields modulate saccade planning maps in human parietal cortex," Gordon Research Conference: Neurobiology of Cognition, July, Newry, ME 

Honors & Awards 

College of Health Science Dean’s Award for Research (2023) 

Professional Organizations

• Milwaukee County Falls Prevention Coalition, Advisory Board member (2026 – current)
• Scientific Reports, editorial board member (2025 – current)
• Zilber College of Public Health, Affiliate Associate Professor (2024 – current)
• Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Biophysics, Affiliate Assistant Professor (2007 – current)
• American Physical Therapy Association, member (2006 – current)
• Orthopedic Section of the American Physical Therapy Association, member (2006 – current)
• Medical College of Wisconsin Center for Imaging Research, member (2006 – current)
• Society for Neuroscience, member (2000 - 2024) 

Expert Interviews 

1. “Experts dive into health care worker shortage challenges and solutions” (aired on February 10, 2023, https://www.newsbreak.com/news/2920254332554-experts-dive-into-health-care-worker-shortage-challenges-and-solutions?_f=app_share&s=i0&pd=07gZr8XG&lang=en_US&send_time=1676031693&trans_data=%7B%22platform%22%3A0%2C%22cv%22%3A%2223.6.0.54%22%2C%22languages%22%3A%22en%22%7D )
2. IJSPT journal club, Discussion of "Lower Kinetic Chain, Meet the Thinking Brain: A Scoping Review of Cognitive Function and Lower Extremity Injury Risk.," International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdL3WCe5uz8  (September 28, 2022) 

Professional Memberships

• American Physical Therapy Association/Wisconsin Physical Therapy Association (1990 – 2004, 2006 – present)
• Society for Neuroscience (2000 – present)
• Center for Imaging Research, Medical College of Wisconsin (2006 – present)
• Evidence-Based Practice Institute (2010 – present)