Cortical Activation during Mobility in an Indoor Real-World Environment: A Mobile EEG Study
Abstract
Human mobility requires neurocognitive inputs to safely navigate the environment. Previous research has examined neural processes that underly walking using mobile neuroimaging technologies, yet few studies have incorporated true real-world methods without a specific task imposed on participants (e.g., dual-task, motor demands). The present study utilized mobile electroencephalography to examine and compare theta, alpha, and beta frequency band power (μV2) in young adults during sitting and walking in laboratory and real-world environments. Our findings support that mobility and environment may modulate neural activity, as we observed increased brain activation for walking compared to sitting, and for real-world walking compared to laboratory walking. Our study highlights the importance and potential for real-world methods to supplement standard research practices to increase the ecological validity of studies conducted in the fields of kinesiology and neuroscience.