Age differences in electrocortical dynamics during uneven terrain walking
Chang Liu1,2, Erika M Pliner1,3, Jacob Salminen1
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.
Imaging Neuroscience (Cambridge, Mass.)
|December 1, 2025
Summary
Older adults show increased gait variability on uneven terrain and reduced brain activity modulation compared to younger adults. This suggests decreased cortical flexibility and reliance on visual processing with age.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Gait control declines with age, particularly on challenging surfaces.
- Mobile brain imaging using electroencephalography (EEG) offers insights into aging-related mobility changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare electrocortical activity during uneven terrain walking between young and older adults.
- To investigate age-related differences in gait variability and neural responses to terrain difficulty.
Main Methods:
- High-density EEG recorded brain activity in 31 young and 71 older adults walking on a treadmill with varying unevenness.
- Gait parameters like step duration and sacral excursion were analyzed.
- Changes in alpha and beta band power were examined across different terrain difficulties.
Main Results:
- Older adults showed greater increases in gait variability (step duration, sacral excursion) with terrain unevenness.
- Both age groups exhibited widespread brain activity changes, especially in alpha and beta bands, on uneven terrain.
- Younger adults had greater reductions in parieto-occipital alpha and beta power with increasing terrain difficulty than older adults.
Conclusions:
- Older adults exhibit increased gait variability and reduced modulation of parieto-occipital brain activity on uneven terrain.
- This suggests diminished cortical network flexibility and potentially a higher baseline reliance on visual processing in older adults.
- Age-related changes in neural dynamics impact the ability to adapt gait to complex environments.
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