Joaquin Farias

Joaquin Farias (born 1973) is a Spanish-born Canadian neuroscientist, researcher, and writer specializing in movement therapy for dystonia.

Early life and education Farias was born in 1973 in Murcia, Spain. He holds master's degrees in neuropsychological rehabilitation, psychosociology, and ergonomics and a doctorate in biomechanics.

Career At the age of 21, while training as a professional musician, Farias developed dystonia, which caused involuntary curling of his fingers and affected his ability to play the piano. Farias has worked as a coach for musicians, Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and dancers with focal dystonia and other practice-related movement disorders. Farias theorizes that repetitive activities might reinforce improper neural pathways, thereby exacerbating the condition. involves using movement-based exercises to help retrain brain functions related to motor and sensory processing. In a 2023 article in The Guardian, Farias was quoted as saying that dystonia involves non-motor symptoms and dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system, and that more research is needed in this area.

Publications

Books

Chapters

Papers