The Role of Perturbed Auditory Information for Self-motion in Gait

当人们与开门等物体互动时，他们的动作发出的声音是 与行动的成功相关。同样，当人们走路时，他们的脚步声会发出 是可以听到的。这些声音有可能被用作稳定和适应运动的反馈。那里 在日常活动中，听觉系统和运动系统之间的这种联系是否有一些证据 生活，然而经验性的工作是不充分的和间接的。该项目的目标是解决这一差距。 通过研究步态动力学和脚步声之间的功能联系。在每一个 三项拟议的研究，将操纵自产脚步声的延迟和幅度 而年轻健康的成年人则在执行自定步速的跑步机步行任务。为此，一种实时步态 将编制分析互动实验室程序。该仪器由仪表式跑步机和 虚拟现实声音放映能力。总体假设是步行节奏会改变。 与操纵脚步声的大小和符号成比例。此外， 步间间隔的统计持续性将作为反馈改变的函数而减小。紧邻 这些运动反应，拟议的项目将调查相关的皮质反应通过使用 移动脑部成像。一项研究将使用fNIRS来关注与注意力需求相关的测量方法。 第二项研究将使用移动EEG和EMG的组合来研究皮质脊髓 同步。第三项研究将评估所谓的隐形行走的重复训练是否有效 改善步态动力学和可变性的潜力。这项研究将包括对实验室的五次访问。 参与者的任务将是采取步骤，以最大限度地减少来自其 脚步声。训练前后步态参数的变化将与对照组进行比较。

When people interact with objects such as opening a door, their movements make sounds that are associated with the success of the action. Similarly, when people walk their footsteps make sounds that are audible. It is possible that these sounds are used as feedback to stabilize and adapt movement. There is some evidence for such a connection between the auditory and motor systems in activities of daily living, yet the empirical work is insufficient and indirect. The objective of the project is to address this gap by investigating the functional connection between gait dynamics and stepping sounds. In each of the three proposed studies, the delay and amplitude of self-produced footstep sounds will be manipulated while young healthy adults are performing a self-paced treadmill walking task. To this end, a gait real-time analysis interactive lab will be programmed. The apparatus consists of an instrumented treadmill and virtual reality sound projection capability. The overall hypothesis is that walking cadence will change proportionally to the magnitude and sign of the manipulation of footstep sounds. Furthermore, the statistical persistence of inter-step intervals will decrease as a function of feedback alteration. Next to these motor responses, the proposed project will investigate associated cortical responses by using mobile brain imaging. One study will use fNIRS to focus on measures associated with attentional demand. A second study will use a combination of mobile EEG and EMG to investigate cortico-spinal synchronization. The third study will evaluate whether repetitive sessions of so-called stealth walking hold potential for improving gait dynamics and variability. The study will involve five visits to the lab. Participants’ task will be to step so as to minimize the otherwise augmented feedback from the their footstep sounds. Change in gait parameters from pre- to post-training will be compared to a control group.