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Lower-Limb Biomechanical Characteristics Associated with Unplanned Gait Termination Under Different Walking Speeds
Published on: August 25, 2020
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Cortical activity and spatiotemporal parameters during gait termination and walking: A preliminary study
Seong Ho Yun1, Tae Su Jang2, Jung Won Kwon3
1Department of Public Health Sciences, Graduate School, Dankook University, Cheonan, South Korea.
Behavioural Brain Research
|October 9, 2023
Summary
Cortical activity in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) is crucial for stopping walking, regardless of whether the stop is planned or unplanned. This finding suggests DLPFC activity could serve as a biomarker for assessing gait termination ability.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
- Motor Control
Background:
- Gait termination involves complex interactions between biomechanical and neuromuscular systems to halt forward motion.
- While biomechanical aspects of gait termination are understood, the underlying neural mechanisms remain largely unexplored.
- Investigating cortical activity provides insight into the brain's role in controlling gait termination.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate cortical activity during planned gait termination (PGT) and unplanned gait termination (UGT) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).
- To compare cortical activation patterns and spatiotemporal gait parameters between PGT, UGT, and normal walking.
- To explore the relationship between hemodynamic responses in specific brain regions and gait termination characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Thirteen healthy young adults participated in three experimental sessions: PGT, UGT, and walking.
- fNIRS was used to measure cortical activity in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), supplementary motor area (SMA), and primary motor cortex (M1).
- Spatiotemporal gait parameters were recorded, and Pearson correlations were calculated between hemodynamic responses and these parameters.
Main Results:
- Planned gait termination (PGT) showed activation in the right DLPFC, while unplanned gait termination (UGT) and walking activated the left SMA.
- Both PGT and UGT exhibited significantly higher right DLPFC activation compared to normal walking.
- No significant differences in cortical activity were found between PGT and UGT; gait termination time positively correlated with right DLPFC hemodynamic responses.
Conclusions:
- The right DLPFC is consistently associated with gait termination, irrespective of whether the termination is planned or unplanned.
- Hemodynamic responses in the right DLPFC may serve as a potential biomarker for evaluating an individual's gait termination ability.
- These findings contribute to understanding the neural control of gait termination and its potential clinical applications.
