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Huang HJ, Ferris DP. Non-invasive brain imaging to advance the understanding of human balance. CURRENT OPINION IN BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING 2023; 28:100505. [PMID: 38250696 PMCID: PMC10795750 DOI: 10.1016/j.cobme.2023.100505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Helen J. Huang
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- Disability, Aging, and Technology Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
- Biionix (Bionic Materials, Implants & Interfaces) Cluster, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Daniel P. Ferris
- J. Crayton Pruitt Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Liu C, Downey RJ, Salminen JS, Rojas SA, Richer N, Pliner EM, Hwang J, Cruz-Almeida Y, Manini TM, Hass CJ, Seidler RD, Clark DJ, Ferris DP. Electrical Brain Activity during Human Walking with Parametric Variations in Terrain Unevenness and Walking Speed. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.31.551289. [PMID: 37577540 PMCID: PMC10418077 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.31.551289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Mobile brain imaging with high-density electroencephalography (EEG) can provide insight into the cortical processes involved in complex human walking tasks. While uneven terrain is common in the natural environment and poses challenges to human balance control, there is limited understanding of the supraspinal processes involved with traversing uneven terrain. The primary objective of this study was to quantify electrocortical activity related to parametric variations in terrain unevenness for neurotypical young adults. We used high-density EEG to measure brain activity when thirty-two young adults walked on a novel custom-made uneven terrain treadmill surface with four levels of difficulty at a walking speed tailored to each participant. We identified multiple brain regions associated with uneven terrain walking. Alpha (8 - 13 Hz) and beta (13 - 30 Hz) spectral power decreased in the sensorimotor and posterior parietal areas with increasing terrain unevenness while theta (4 - 8 Hz) power increased in the mid/posterior cingulate area with terrain unevenness. We also found that within stride spectral power fluctuations increased with terrain unevenness. Our secondary goal was to investigate the effect of parametric changes in walking speed (0.25 m/s, 0.5m/s, 0.75 m/s, 1.0 m/s) to differentiate the effects of walking speed from uneven terrain. Our results revealed that electrocortical activities only changed substantially with speed within the sensorimotor area but not in other brain areas. Together, these results indicate there are distinct cortical processes contributing to the control of walking over uneven terrain versus modulation of walking speed on smooth, flat terrain. Our findings increase our understanding of cortical involvement in an ecologically valid walking task and could serve as a benchmark for identifying deficits in cortical dynamics that occur in people with mobility deficits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Ryan J. Downey
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jacob S. Salminen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Sofia Arvelo Rojas
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Natalie Richer
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Erika M. Pliner
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jungyun Hwang
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence (PRICE), University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Todd M. Manini
- Department of Health Outcomes and Biomedical Informatics, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Chris J. Hass
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Rachael D. Seidler
- Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Norman Fixel Institute for Neurological Diseases, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - David J. Clark
- Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, Malcom Randall VA Medical Center, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Daniel P. Ferris
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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