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Updated: May 21, 2026

Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion

Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion

Published on: January 15, 2016

Modality-specific communication enabling gait synchronization during over-ground side-by-side walking.

Ari Z Zivotofsky¹, Leor Gruendlinger, Jeffrey M Hausdorff

¹Gonda Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel. zivotoa@mail.biu.ac.il

Human Movement Science

|June 26, 2012

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

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Direct Motor Pathways

Direct Motor Pathways

The direct motor pathways, also known as the pyramidal tracts, are a group of neural pathways that originate in the brain and descend through the spinal cord. They control the voluntary movement of the body. There are two major direct motor pathways: the corticospinal and the corticobulbar tracts.
The corticospinal tract is responsible for the voluntary movement of the limbs and trunk. It originates in the cerebral cortex of the brain and descends through the cerebrum's internal capsule and the...

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Unintentional gait synchronization between two walkers is common, occurring in 36% of natural walks. Tactile and auditory feedback are most effective in promoting this phase-locking of gait.

Area of Science:

Biomechanics
Human locomotion
Neuroscience

Background:

Unintentional gait synchronization between individuals walking together is frequently observed but poorly understood.
Previous research on gait synchronization has been limited by qualitative methods or artificial walking conditions (e.g., treadmills).
The underlying motor-sensory mechanisms driving natural gait synchronization require quantitative investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

To quantitatively investigate the sensory mechanisms contributing to gait synchronization during side-by-side over-ground walking.
To determine the prevalence and quantify gait synchronization under natural walking conditions.
To assess the relative effectiveness of different sensory modalities (visual, auditory, tactile) in promoting gait synchronization.

Main Methods:

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 21, 2026

Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion

Asymmetric Walkway: A Novel Behavioral Assay for Studying Asymmetric Locomotion

Published on: January 15, 2016

Fourteen pairs of participants walked 70 meters along a straight pathway under five sensory feedback conditions.
Sensory feedback modalities manipulated included visual, auditory, and tactile information.
Participant movement was quantified using trunk-mounted tri-axial accelerometers, and gait synchronization was measured using a gait synchronization index (GSI).

Main Results:

Gait synchronization was observed in 36% of all walking trials.
Tactile and auditory sensory feedback demonstrated the highest efficacy in promoting gait synchronization.
Visual feedback was the least effective sensory modality for inducing gait synchronization.

Conclusions:

Gait synchronization during natural, over-ground walking is a common phenomenon.
Gait synchronization is a quantifiable behavior with distinct modality-specific sensory influences.
Understanding these sensory mechanisms provides insights into interpersonal coordination during locomotion.