Poster No:
1691
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
BiancaMaria Di Bello1, Camilla Panacci2, Luca Boccacci1, Raffaele Costanzo1, Francesca Strappini1, Francesco Di Russo1, Sabrina Pitzalis2
Institutions:
1Università "Foro Italico", Roma, RM, 2Fondazione Santa Lucia, Roma, RM
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Introduction:
Cognitive and motor functions are strongly interconnected. Literature has shown that both cognitive processing and behavioral performance change significantly depending on whether individuals are engaged in single-task or cognitive-motor dual-task conditions (Bayot et al., 2018; Leone et al., 2017; Yogev-Seligmann et al., 2008; Vasquez et al., 2016). Notably, walking impacts cognitive processes (significantly Greenlee et al., 2016) and requires the integration of sensory information, including visual cues from the external environment and somatic signals from the body. Among visual stimuli, optic flow - defined as the apparent movement of the external environment resulting from ego motion - plays a critical role (Petelaky et al., 2023). Optical flow can be simulated to verify its impact. In light of these considerations, the present study aims to examine the effects of walking and optical flow on anticipatory cognitive processes in the context of a cognitive-motor dual-task.
Methods:
Forty subjects were recorded with a 64-channel EEG cup mounted according to the international 10-10 system. The subjects were assigned to two different experimental groups. All subjects performed a Discriminative Response Task under two different conditions: stationary (Still condition) and walking (Walk condition). The key distinction between the two groups was the task background: one group was exposed to a black background, while the other group viewed a flow field that was coherent with the direction and speed of locomotion. A 2×2 ANOVA was conducted with Locomotion as the within-subjects factor (Still vs. Walk) and Flow-field as the between-subjects factor (Flow-Field vs. No Flow-Field).
Results:
The ANOVA on RTs showed a significant main effect of the Locomotion factor (F(1,38)=12.3, p=0.001, ηp2=0.245), indicating shorter RTs in the Walk condition (445 ms ±37) compared to the Still condition (463 ms ±39). A significant effect of the Flow-field factor was also observed (F(1,38)=4.2, p=0.047, ηp2=0.099), with shorter RTs for the Flow-field condition (442 ms ±31) compared to the No Flow-field
Conclusions:
Walking increases cortical excitability of the cortex, leading to improvements in both motor preparation, as evidenced by reduced RTs, and cognitive preparation, as reflected in increased accuracy. Conversely,.the presence of a flow field further facilitates motor preparation, resulting in faster RTs but also worsens cognitive preparation, leading to decreased accuracy. These results are in accordance with the Multiple Resources Theory, which posits that the introduction of additional stimuli - such as optic flow - competes for the same cognitive resources required for the primary task, thereby causing interference.
Higher Cognitive Functions:
Executive Function, Cognitive Control and Decision Making
Motor Behavior:
Motor Planning and Execution
Visuo-Motor Functions 2
Motor Behavior Other 1
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
EEG
Keywords:
Cognition
Cortex
Motor
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
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Please indicate below if your study was a "resting state" or "task-activation” study.
Task-activation
Healthy subjects only or patients (note that patient studies may also involve healthy subjects):
Healthy subjects
Was this research conducted in the United States?
No
Were any human subjects research approved by the relevant Institutional Review Board or ethics panel?
NOTE: Any human subjects studies without IRB approval will be automatically rejected.
Yes
Were any animal research approved by the relevant IACUC or other animal research panel?
NOTE: Any animal studies without IACUC approval will be automatically rejected.
Not applicable
Please indicate which methods were used in your research:
EEG/ERP
Provide references using APA citation style.
Bayot, M., Dujardin, K., Tard, C., Defebvre, L., Bonnet, C. T., Allart, E., & Delval, A. (2018). The interaction between cognition and motor control: A theoretical framework for dual-task interference effects on posture, gait initiation, gait and turning. Neurophysiologie Clinique, 48(6), 361-375.
Greenlee, M. W., Frank, S. M., Kaliuzhna, M., Blanke, O., Bremmer, F., Churan, J., ... & Smith, A. T. (2016). Multisensory integration in self motion perception. Multisensory Research, 29(6-7), 525-556.
Leone, C., Feys, P., Moumdjian, L., D’Amico, E., Zappia, M., & Patti, F. (2017). Cognitive-motor dual-task interference: a systematic review of neural correlates. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 75, 348-360.
Patelaki, E., Foxe, J. J., Mazurek, K. A., & Freedman, E. G. (2023). Young adults who improve performance during dual-task walking show more flexible reallocation of cognitive resources: a mobile brain-body imaging (MoBI) study. Cerebral cortex, 33(6), 2573-2592.
Vasquez, B. P., Binns, M. A., & Anderson, N. D. (2016). Staying on task: Age-related changes in the relationship between executive functioning and response time consistency. Journals of Gerontology Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences, 71(2), 189-200.
Yogev-Seligmann, G., Hausdorff, J. M., & Giladi, N. (2008). The Role of Executive Function and Attention in Gait. Movement disorders. 23(3), 329-342.
No