Brain activity during walking: A systematic review

Hamacher, Dennis; Herold, Fabian; Wiegel, Patrick; Schega, Lutz

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2015.08.002

Cited by 234 publications

(229 citation statements)

References 163 publications

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“…Moreover, the ORGANIZED > IMAGINATION contrast revealed activity in SM1 and S2 and, interestingly, was similar to the results of the motor study by Gerardin et al (Gerardin et al, 2000), which demonstrated greater activation of both these regions during movement execution compared to mental imagery. This finding supports the use of plantar stimulation, in addition to mental imagery of gait, to assess the “direct locomotor pathway”, a pathway which involves sensori-motor areas that are activated to a greater extent during real gait (Hamacher et al, 2015). Since it is currently not feasible to acquire BOLD signals during real gait, our combined paradigm may be a useful substitute.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Brain Activity during Mental Imagery of Gait Versus Gait-Like Plantar Stimulation: A Novel Combined Functional MRI Paradigm to Better Understand Cerebral Gait Control

Labriffe

Annweiler

Amirova

et al. 2017

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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Human locomotion is a complex sensorimotor behavior whose central control remains difficult to explore using neuroimaging method due to technical constraints, notably the impossibility to walk with a scanner on the head and/or to walk for real inside current scanners. The aim of this functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) study was to analyze interactions between two paradigms to investigate the brain gait control network: (1) mental imagery of gait, and (2) passive mechanical stimulation of the plantar surface of the foot with the Korvit boots. The Korvit stimulator was used through two different modes, namely an organized (“gait like”) sequence and a destructured (chaotic) pattern. Eighteen right-handed young healthy volunteers were recruited (mean age, 27 ± 4.7 years). Mental imagery activated a broad neuronal network including the supplementary motor area-proper (SMA-proper), pre-SMA, the dorsal premotor cortex, ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior insula, and precuneus/superior parietal areas. The mechanical plantar stimulation activated the primary sensorimotor cortex and secondary somatosensory cortex bilaterally. The paradigms generated statistically common areas of activity, notably bilateral SMA-proper and right pre-SMA, highlighting the potential key role of SMA in gait control. There was no difference between the organized and chaotic Korvit sequences, highlighting the difficulty of developing a walking-specific plantar stimulation paradigm. In conclusion, this combined-fMRI paradigm combining mental imagery and gait-like plantar stimulation provides complementary information regarding gait-related brain activity and appears useful for the assessment of high-level gait control.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 67%

Brain Activity during Mental Imagery of Gait Versus Gait-Like Plantar Stimulation: A Novel Combined Functional MRI Paradigm to Better Understand Cerebral Gait Control

Labriffe

Annweiler

Amirova

et al. 2017

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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“…Initial neuroimaging evidence shows greater activation in selected cortical areas during imagined walking in older adults compared to young adults (Hamacher et al 2015). Imagined walking may induce brain activations similar to real world walking but we do not yet know how brain function during walking relates to gait variability.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The brain map of gait variability in aging, cognitive impairment and dementia—A systematic review

Tian

Chastan

Bair

et al. 2017

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

124

112

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While gait variability may reflect subtle changes due to aging or cognitive impairment (CI), associated brain characteristics remain unclear. We summarize structural and functional neuroimaging findings associated with gait variability in older adults with and without CI and dementia. We identified 17 eligible studies; all were cross-sectional; few examined multiple brain areas. In older adults, temporal gait variability was associated with structural differences in medial areas important for lower limb coordination and balance. Both temporal and spatial gait variability were associated with structural and functional differences in hippocampus and primary sensorimotor cortex and structural differences in anterior cingulate cortex, basal ganglia, association tracts, and posterior thalamic radiation. In CI or dementia, some associations were found in primary motor cortex, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia. In older adults, gait variability may be associated with areas important for sensorimotor integration and coordination. To comprehend the neural basis of gait variability with aging and CI, longitudinal studies of multiple brain areas are needed.

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“…In their recent review on brain activation during walking and cognitive-motor dual tasking, Hamacher, Herold, Wiegel, Hamacher, and Schega (2015) reviewed a wide range of studies which included the imaging methods functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNRIS), electroencephalography and positron emission tomography during real walking and fMRI during imagined walking. They identified a large number of involved brain regions and were able to classify them into either a direct or an indirect locomotion pathway.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The seven studies Hamacher et al (2015) reviewed specifically on cognitive-motor dual tasking revealed differences in brain activation patterns between single and dual tasks. The findings were contradictory and only two studies regarding brain activation in healthy older adults were available: One study reported increased prefrontal activation during dual tasking (Holtzer et al, 2011) while the other reported decreased prefrontal activation (Beurskens, Helmich, Rein, & Bock, 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%