Senior Researcher
My research interest circles around sensorimotor control, motor learning and in particular central nervous plasticity. Through brain stimulation and electrophysiology, I have explored neural processes underlying motor skill learning and recovery of sensorimotor functions following CNS lesions. Recently I have been working with non-invasive plasticity protocols targeting the injured spinal cord. I have a strong interest in identifying determinants of individual variability in motor control, motor learning and response to non-invasive brain stimulation
Brain Stimulation group (Group Leader)
Brain Network Modulation group
Control of Movement group (Group Leader)
Movement Disorders group
ContAct
BaSiCs
2015
PhD in Neuroscience, University of Copenhagen
2011
MSc in Human Physiology, University of Copenhagen
2009
BSc in Sport and Exercise Science, University of Copenhagen
2019 - Present
Postdoctoral Research Associate, DRCMR
2018 - 2019
Postdoctoral Research Associate, Motor Perofrmance and Health, NEXS, University of Copenhagen
2015 - 2017
Postdoctoral Research Associate, The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, University of Miami
2012 - 2015
PhD student, Copenhagen Neural Control of Movement, NEXS & INF, University of Copenhagen
2011 - 2012
Research Assistant, Copenhagen Neural Control of Movement, NEXS & INF, University of Copenhagen
Janine Kesselheim, Mitsuaki Takemi, Lasse Christiansen, Anke Ninija Karabanov, Hartwig Roman Siebner. Multi-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation of human motor cortex produces short latency corticomotor facilitation via two distinct mechanisms. BioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.19.481138; this version posted February 22, 2022.
Bonnesen MT., Fuglsang SA., Siebner HR & Christiansen L. (2022). Corticospinal excitability is influenced by the recent history of electrical digital stimulation: implications for the relative magnitude of short-latency afferent inhibition’. BioRxiv 2022.02.02.47886
Christiansen, L., & Siebner, H. R. (2022). Tools to explore neuroplasticity in humans: Combining interventional neurophysiology with functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy. Handbook of clinical neurology, 184, 105-119.
Moesgaard, L., Beck, M. M., Christiansen, L., Aagaard, P., & Lundbye-Jensen, J. (2022). Effects of Periodization on Strength and Muscle Hypertrophy in Volume-Equated Resistance Training Programs: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 1-21.
Christiansen, L., Liu, M. L., & Siebner, H. R. (2021). Precision Targeting of Neural Networks with tDCS Informed by Brain Mapping. In Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Neuropsychiatric Disorders (pp. 251-263). Springer, Cham.
Christiansen, L., Chen, B., Lei, Y., Urbin, M. A., Richardson, M. S., Oudega, M., ... & Perez, M. A. (2021). Acute intermittent hypoxia boosts spinal plasticity in humans with tetraplegia. Experimental neurology, 335, 113483.
Piil, J. F., Kingma, B., Morris, N. B., Christiansen, L., Ioannou, L. G., Flouris, A. D., & Nybo, L. (2021). Proposed framework for forecasting heat-effects on motor-cognitive performance in the Summer Olympics. Temperature, 8(3), 262-283.
Morris, N. B., Piil, J. F., Christiansen, L., Flouris, A. D., & Nybo, L. (2021). Prolonged facemask use in the heat worsens dyspnea without compromising motor-cognitive performance. Temperature, 8(2), 160-165.
Christiansen, L., Larsen, M. N., Madsen, M. J., Grey, M. J., Nielsen, J. B., & Lundbye-Jensen, J. (2020). Long-term motor skill training with individually adjusted progressive difficulty enhances learning and promotes corticospinal plasticity. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1-15.
Bikson, M., Hanlon, C. A., Woods, A. J., Gillick, B. T., Charvet, L., Lamm, C., ...Christiansen, L., … & Ay, M. R. (2020). Guidelines for TMS/tES clinical services and research through the COVID-19 pandemic. Brain Stimulation.
Piil, J. F., Christiansen, L., Morris, N. B., Mikkelsen, C. J., Ioannou, L. G., Flouris, A. D., ... & Nybo, L. (2020). Direct exposure of the head to solar heat radiation impairs motor-cognitive performance. Scientific Reports, 10(1), 1-10.
Beck, M. M., Grandjean, M. U., Hartmand, S., Spedden, M. E., Christiansen, L., Roig, M., & Lundbye-Jensen, J. (2020). Acute exercise protects newly formed motor memories against rTMS-induced interference targeting primary motor cortex. Neuroscience.
Christiansen, L., Beck, M. M., Bilenberg, N., Wienecke, J., Astrup, A., & Lundbye-Jensen, J. (2019). Effects of exercise on cognitive performance in children and adolescents with ADHD: Potential mechanisms and evidence-based recommendations. Journal of clinical medicine, 8(6), 841.
Christiansen, L., Thomas, R., Beck, MM., Pingel, J., Andersen, J.D., Mang, CS., Madsen, MA., Roig, M. & Lundbye-Jensen, J. (2019) The Beneficial Effect of Acute Exercise on Motor Memory Consolidation is Modulated by Dopaminergic Gene Profile. Journal of Clinical Medicine 8.5 578
Piil, JF., Lundbye-Jensen, J., Christiansen, L., Ioannou, L., Tsoutsoubi, L. , Dallas, CN., Mantzios, K., Flouris, AD., Nybo L (2018) High prevalence of hypohydration in occupations with heat stress - perspectives for performance in combined cognitive and motor tasks. Plos One
Christiansen, L. & Perez, MA. (2018) Targeted-Plasticity in the Corticospinal Tract After Human Spinal Cord Injury. Neurotherapeutics: 1-10
Christiansen, L., Urbin, MA., Mitchell GS & Perez, MA. (2018) Acute intermittent hypoxia enhances corticospinal synaptic plasticity in humans. eLife 7: e34304.
Kurtzer, I., Bouyer, L. J., Bouffard, J., Jin, A., Christiansen, L., Nielsen, J. B., & Scott, S. H. (2018). Variable impact of tizanidine on the medium latency reflex of upper and lower limbs. Experimental brain research, 1-13.
Christiansen, L., Madsen, M. J., Bojsen-Møller, E., Thomas, R., Nielsen, J. B., & Lundbye-Jensen, J. (2018). Progressive practice promotes motor learning and repeated transient increases in corticospinal excitability across multiple days. Brain stimulation 11.2: 346-357.
Christiansen, L., Lundbye-Jensen, J., Perez, M. A., & Nielsen, J. B. (2017). How plastic are human spinal cord motor circuitries? Experimental Brain Research, 1-7.
Christiansen, L., Larsen, M. N., Grey, M. J., Nielsen, J. B., & Lundbye‐Jensen, J. (2017). Long‐term progressive motor skill training enhances corticospinal excitability for the ipsilateral hemisphere and motor performance of the untrained hand. European Journal of Neuroscience, 45(12), 1490-1500.
Thomas, R., Johnsen, L. K., Geertsen, S. S., Christiansen, L., Ritz, C., Roig, M., & Lundbye-Jensen, J. (2016). Acute exercise and motor memory consolidation: the role of exercise intensity. PloS one, 11(7)
Thomas, R., Beck, M. M., Lind, R. R., Korsgaard Johnsen, L., Geertsen, S. S., Christiansen, L., ... & Lundbye-Jensen, J. (2016). Acute exercise and motor memory consolidation: the role of exercise timing. Neural plasticity, 2016.
Thomas, R., Flindtgaard, M., Skriver, K., Geertsen, S. S., Christiansen, L., Korsgaard Johnsen, L., ... & Roig, M. (2016). Acute exercise and motor memory consolidation: Does exercise type play a role?. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports.
Nielsen, J. B., Willerslev-Olsen, M., Christiansen, L., Lundbye-Jensen, J., & Lorentzen, J. (2015). Science-based neurorehabilitation: recommendations for neurorehabilitation from basic science. Journal of motor behavior, 47(1), 7-17.
Randers, M. B., Nybo, L., Petersen, J., Nielsen, J. J., Christiansen, L., Bendiksen, M., ... & Krustrup, P. (2010). Activity profile and physiological response to football training for untrained males and females, elderly and youngsters: influence of the number of players. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports,20(s1), 14-23.
Krustrup, P., Hansen, P. R., Andersen, L. J., Jakobsen, M. D., Sundstrup, E., Randers, M. B., Christiansen, L., ... & Bangsbo, J. (2010). Long‐term musculoskeletal and cardiac health effects of recreational football and running for premenopausal women. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports,20(s1), 58-71.
Editorial work
Christiansen, L., Geertsen SS, Lundbye-Jensen J, Nielsen JB., ’Fra Tanke til Handling - Bevægelsens Neurobiologi’, Hjerneforum, 2016, A textbook covering basic and applied neurophysiology
Non-peer reviewed publications incl. book chapters
Christiansen, L. & Petersen NC, ’Hjernens talent for styrring af bevægelser
Hjerneforum. 2017 (A chapter in a yearly publication translating neurophysiological hot-topics to the general population.)
Christiansen, L. & Nielsen JB, (2016). Kroppens atomer, molekyler, celler og energiomsætning. In Fra Tanke Til Handling-Bevægelsens Neurobiologi (pp. 13-51). Hjerneforum.
Nielsen, J.B. & Christiansen L., (2016). Det Motoriske Systems Neuroanatomi. In Fra Tanke Til Handling-Bevægelsens Neurobiologi (pp. 64-80). Hjerneforum.
Christiansen, L. & Nielsen, J.B., (2016). Det Autonome Nervesystem, In Fra Tanke Til Handling-Bevægelsens Neurobiologi (pp. 177-183). Hjerneforum.
Nielsen, J.B., Christiansen, L. & Christensen., M.S., (2016). Sanserne og motorisk kontrol. In Fra Tanke Til Handling-Bevægelsens Neurobiologi (pp. 210-234). Hjerneforum.
Lundbye-Jensen, J., Christiansen, L. & Nielsen J.B. (2016). Neuroplasticitet, In Fra Tanke Til Handling-Bevægelsens Neurobiologi (pp. 260-276). Hjerneforum
Lundbye-Jensen, J., Christiansen, L., Christensen, M.S., & Nielsen J. B., (2016). Motorisk indlæring, In Fra Tanke Til Handling-Bevægelsens Neurobiologi (pp. 277-298). Hjerneforum
Christiansen, L. (2016). Eksperten, talentet og deres hjerner In Fra Tanke Til Handling-Bevægelsens Neurobiologi (pp. 319-334). Hjerneforum.
Christiansen, L. Motor Skill Learning and Corticospinal Excitability: A Critical Appraisal. Diss. Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, Faculty of Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2015.
Christiansen, L. & Willerslev-Olsen M., Antispastisk medicin hæmmer motorisk indlæring,
Fysioterapeuten nr. 12 December 2012, an article for the official journal for the national Danish physical therapy association concerning potential (mis)use of Baclofen during rehabilitation following spinal cord injury.
Christiansen, L., Medicinsk Benspænd, Ryk! Magasin nr. 1 2012, An article for the trade journal of association of spinal cord injured in Denmark. A call for careful planning of the daily medication administration in relation to motor training.