Article

Humans apply a minimum intervention principle to regulate treadmill walking,
rapidly correcting fluctuations in the task-relevant variable (step speed: SS)
while ignoring fluctuations in the task-irrelevant variables (step time: ST; step
length: SL). We examined whether the regulation of fluctuations in SS and not in
ST and SL depends on high-level, executive function, processes. Young adults
walked on a treadmill without a cognitive requirement and while performing the
cognitive task of dichotic listening. SS fluctuations became less anti-persistent
when performing dichotic listening, meaning that taxing executive function
impaired the ability to rapidly correct speed deviations on subsequent steps.
Conversely, performing dichotic listening had no effect on SL and ST persistent
fluctuations. Findings suggest that high-level brain processes are involved only
in regulating gait task-relevant variables.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS