Walking through virtual mazes: Spontaneous alternation behaviour in human adults.

Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior
Yannick RothacherPeter Brugger

Abstract

Spontaneous alternation behaviour (SAB) is the tendency to systematically alternate directional choices in successive maze arms. Originally discovered in rats, SAB has been extensively investigated in a broad range of species. In humans, however, SAB has been mostly ignored, possibly due to the difficulties arising from the use of life-size mazes. We here propose to close this gap by advancing the study of human SAB by use of virtual reality (VR). Alternation rates in humans were examined in three experiments, each deploying a specific type of virtual maze. The three virtual mazes tested 1) the effect of a concurrent cognitive task on baseline alternation rates, 2) the differential influence of locomotor and visual factors on alternation behaviour, and 3) the direction alternation in an unrestricted open space. We report a general tendency in adult human walkers to alternate walking directions in the classical T-maze context. The search for an effect of a concurrent cognitive task and the influence of locomotor and visual factors on alternation behaviour remained inconclusive. No evidence for alternation behaviour in an open space was found. Together, the experimental series elucidates the presence and characteristics of SAB in...Continue Reading

References

Apr 1, 1970·Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology·T Dalland
Oct 1, 1967·Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology·R J KirkbyD P Kimble
Nov 1, 1981·Perception & Psychophysics·E J Green, P J Barber
Aug 1, 1996·Behavioural Brain Research·L A Mead, E Hampson
Apr 1, 1997·Perceptual and Motor Skills·P Brugger
Mar 24, 1998·Cerebral Cortex·M FreedmanM Binns
Mar 31, 2000·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·R M Klein
Feb 12, 2002·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Robert Lalonde
Oct 19, 2002·Behavioural Brain Research·Peter BruggerJürgen Ihlemann
Oct 31, 2002·Nature Neuroscience·Michael J Tarr, William H Warren
Feb 1, 1953·Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology·J H GROSSLIGHT, W TICKNOR
Oct 1, 1955·Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology·W K ESTES, M S SCHOEFFLER
Feb 1, 1956·Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology·W N DEMBER
Mar 1, 1957·Psychological Review·W N DEMBER, R W EARL
Apr 1, 1964·Psychological Bulletin·G S TUNE
Feb 1, 1955·Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology·E L WALKERA J KAROLY
Feb 1, 1952·Journal of Comparative and Physiological Psychology·K C MONTGOMERY
Feb 13, 2007·Experimental Brain Research·Tobias Loetscher, Peter Brugger
Jun 1, 1949·Journal of Experimental Psychology·M H SMITH
Jun 6, 2008·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Brian R CornwellChristian Grillon
Jan 1, 1948·Psychological Bulletin·R L SOLOMON
Aug 25, 2009·Current Biology : CB·Jan L SoumanMarc O Ernst
Nov 17, 2009·IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics·Frank SteinickeMarkus Lappe
Jun 22, 2011·Cerebral Cortex·Jonas Larsson, Andrew T Smith
Dec 14, 2011·Schizophrenia Research·Elena A SpiekerLaura M Rowland
Jan 25, 2012·Journal of Comparative Psychology·Akihiro IzumiChieko Yamaguchi
May 12, 2012·IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics·Christian T NethBetty J Mohler
Dec 5, 2012·Journal of Aging Research·Prudence Plummer-D'AmatoErin Furey
Feb 23, 2013·IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics·Eric Hodgson, Eric Bachmann
Oct 1, 1991·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·S P VeceraM I Posner
Sep 14, 2013·IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics·Michael A ZmudaEric Hodgson
Dec 10, 2014·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Thomas T HillsUNKNOWN Cognitive Search Research Group
Jul 13, 2016·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Olivia GeisselerPeter Brugger
Apr 14, 2017·PLoS Computational Biology·Nicolas GauvritPeter Brugger
Dec 21, 2018·Scientific Reports·Yannick RothacherPeter Brugger

❮ Previous
Next ❯

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.