Gait matters in spatial orientation: Age-related differences in real-world wayfinding and cognitive mapping

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Human Movement Science

Background:

• Age-related navigation decline is a concern for independence.
• Previous research often used lab-based or virtual settings, limiting ecological validity.
• The role of gait in real-world spatial orientation is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate age-related differences in real-world wayfinding.
• To examine the specific role of gait behavior in spatial orientation and navigation.
• To compare navigation strategies between younger and older adults in naturalistic settings.

Main Methods:

• Recruited younger adults and older adults (OA).
• Assessed wayfinding through naturalistic route learning and retracing tasks.
• Analyzed gait parameters (speed, stop-and-go behavior) and spatial memory.

Main Results:

• Older adults made more spatial errors but walked faster than younger adults.
• Younger adults showed consistent walk ratios, suggesting cognitive focus.
• Older adults exhibited more stop-and-go behavior, correlating with better wayfinding, suggesting a compensatory strategy.

Conclusions:

• Gait, especially intermittent pausing, plays an active role in real-world navigation and spatial recalibration.
• Real-world studies are crucial for understanding the motor-cognitive interplay in environmental memory.
• Findings support gait-informed interventions to enhance mobility and autonomy in older adults.