Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
08:04
Using a Split-belt Treadmill to Evaluate Generalization of Human Locomotor Adaptation
Published on: August 23, 2017
Changes in corticospinal excitability following adaptive modification to human walking
J R Zabukovec1, L A Boyd, M A Linsdell
1Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Experimental Brain Research
|March 16, 2013
Summary
Locomotion increases corticospinal tract (CST) excitability in a muscle-specific manner. This finding suggests that the central nervous system adapts motor control differently depending on the muscle group during walking.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Motor Control
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Locomotor adaptations involve changes in muscle activity and lower limb kinematics.
- The neural mechanisms and specific locations of these adaptations remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if resisted walking alters corticospinal tract (CST) excitability.
- To determine if changes in cortical excitability are muscle-specific during locomotion.
Main Methods:
- Forty healthy participants walked using a robotic gait device (Lokomat) with velocity-dependent resistance.
- Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) assessed CST excitability via motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in biceps femoris (BF) or rectus femoris (RF) before and after walking.
- Recruitment curves were generated to analyze MEPs.
Main Results:
- Baseline walking in the Lokomat significantly increased MEP amplitude in the biceps femoris (BF).
- No significant changes in MEP amplitude were observed in the rectus femoris (RF).
- Resisted walking did not induce further changes in MEP size for either muscle group.
Conclusions:
- Locomotion enhances CST excitability in a muscle-specific way.
- Understanding these muscle-specific adaptations is crucial for developing strategies to improve the central nervous system's motor control during walking.
