Can footprints tell you more than fingerprints? Understanding the Fundamentals of State- and Trait-Dependent Gait Patterns

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Walking upright is an astounding human ability that we often take for granted, yet it remains unclear how the human nervous system controls walking and how much information is embedded in our walking pattern. My research program advances the foundational understanding of the complexities underlying the neural control of human walking to help address the question: Why are patterns of walking so different across people and what can walking behaviour reveal about an individual? Understanding the control of walking has transformed over recent years to expose an influential role of cognitive and emotional states. My research program combines movement kinematics, physiology, virtual reality and cognitive neuroscience to uncover the neural basis of walking and cognitive-emotional factors that contribute to walking patterns. Unique to my work is a focus on both trait (person-specific) and state (context/task dependent) level cognitive-emotional influences on individual patterns of walking. The importance is highlighted by my previous research which shows that trait-level differences in anxiety across individuals can produce marked reductions in cognitive performance and greater susceptibility to interference with balance control and walking. Thus, a more detailed and granular investigation that dissects state- and trait-dependent walking patterns (O1) , will advance the understanding of the respective time-varying roles of arousal and attention (O2, O3), an area currently understudied. To fully appreciate the complexity of human walking patterns, my lab will utilise a multi-dimensional approach that describes muscular and joint interactions on the one hand, and physiological responses that index arousal and attentional demands across different phases of coordinated walking on the other. Our experimental approach examines walking patterns in response to real and virtual perturbations (inducing threat or imposing cognitive challenges) similar to those experienced on a daily basis. By simultaneously measuring eye movements, self-reported emotional feelings, and physiological outcomes of arousal while walking, my lab will explore how different internal and external events constrain attention, influence arousal, and ultimately shape an individual's movement profile. Benefits to Neuroscience and Canada: Individual walking patterns may be the modern dynamic `fingerprint' for aging and related mobility issues. Understanding the information that is embedded in walking patterns allows us to explore the utility of monitoring walking to identify those at-risk for falls or dementia in older adults, and mood disorders in younger adults. This research will advance personalised assistive technology, robotics, and biomedical engineering focused on enhancing mobility tailored to individual traits rather than one-size fits all. In sum, the outcomes of this work have benefits to diverse fields of research, all aimed at improving the safety and wellbeing of Canadians.