Minimum toe clearance: probing the neural control of locomotion

Scientific Reports
Tim KilleenMarc Bolliger

Abstract

Minimum toe clearance (MTC) occurs during a highly dynamic phase of the gait cycle and is associated with the highest risk of unintentional contact with obstacles or the ground. Age, cognitive function, attention and visual feedback affect foot clearance but how these factors interact to influence MTC control is not fully understood. We measured MTC in 121 healthy individuals aged 20-80 under four treadmill walking conditions; normal walking, lower visual field restriction and two Stroop colour/word naming tasks of two difficulty levels. Competition for cognitive and attentional resources from the Stroop task resulted in significantly lower mean MTC in older adults, with the difficult Stroop task associated with a higher frequency of extremely low MTC values and subsequently an increased modelled probability of tripping in this group. While older adults responded to visual restriction by markedly skewing MTC distributions towards higher values, this condition was also associated with frequent, extremely low MTC values. We reveal task-specific, age-dependent patterns of MTC control in healthy adults. Age-related differences are most pronounced during heavy, distracting cognitive load. Analysis of critically-low MTC values during...Continue Reading

References

Jan 1, 1992·Experimental Brain Research·B Brouwer, P Ashby
Nov 1, 1988·Age and Ageing·A J BlakeE J Bassey
Nov 1, 1984·Journal of Gerontology·A Gabell, U S Nayak
Dec 1, 1994·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·M E MorrisJ J Summers
Mar 1, 1997·Lancet·L Lundin-OlssonY Gustafson
Mar 1, 1997·Journal of the American Geriatrics Society·B E Maki
Jul 20, 2002·Gait & Posture·Marjorie Woollacott, Anne Shumway-Cook
Jun 30, 2004·Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science·Karen HeasleyDavid B Elliott
May 3, 2005·Experimental Brain Research·Jeffrey M HausdorffNir Giladi
Sep 28, 2005·Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science·Karen HeasleyDavid B Elliott
Mar 17, 2006·Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society·Shmuel SpringerJeffrey M Hausdorff
Sep 8, 2006·The Neuroscientist : a Review Journal Bringing Neurobiology, Neurology and Psychiatry·Jaynie F Yang, Monica Gorassini
Dec 7, 2007·Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society·Galit Yogev-SeligmannNir Giladi
Dec 21, 2007·Gait & Posture·Peter M MillsSteven Morrison
Jan 30, 2008·Human Movement Science·Uffe LaessoeMichael Voigt
Feb 8, 2008·Journal of Biomechanics·Russell Best, Rezaul Begg
Apr 8, 2009·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·Joe VergheseCuiling Wang
Jul 25, 2009·Gait & Posture·Valentina GraciJohn G Buckley
Oct 24, 2009·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Rachael D SeidlerDavid B Lipps
May 21, 2010·The Journals of Gerontology. Series A, Biological Sciences and Medical Sciences·Talia HermanJeffrey M Hausdorff
Aug 31, 2010·Gait & Posture·Ann HallemansPeter Aerts
Sep 14, 2010·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Emad Al-YahyaJanet Cockburn
Mar 1, 2011·Journal of Biomechanics·Denise McGrathBrian Caulfield
Mar 1, 2011·Journal of Biomechanics·Brian W Schulz
Aug 8, 2012·Journal of Injury & Violence Research·Tony RosenRita K Noonan
Sep 8, 2012·Annals of Biomedical Engineering·Jeffrey P KaipustNicholas Stergiou
Jan 25, 2014·The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery·Patricia Ayoung-CheeRonald V Maier
Jan 6, 2015·Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation·Michael R TuckerRoger Gassert
Jul 15, 2015·Journal of Neuroengineering and Rehabilitation·Braveena K SanthiranayagamRezaul K Begg
Aug 11, 2015·Sports Medicine - Open·Edith Van DyckMarc Leman

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Feb 23, 2020·Journal of Aging and Physical Activity·Seung-Uk KoLuigi Ferrucci
Mar 28, 2019·Scientific Reports·Christian MeyerLinard Filli
Nov 18, 2020·Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy : JNPT·Brooke N Klatt, Eric R Anson
Jun 18, 2021·Frontiers in Public Health·Chamalka Kenneth PereraDarwin Gouwanda

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

Nexus
Procalc
SPSS
Vicon Nexus
Prism
Velcro®
Matlab script

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.