Berchicci Marika, Russo Yuri, Bianco Valentina, Quinzi Federico, Rum Lorenzo, Macaluso Andrea, Committeri Giorgia, Vannozzi Giuseppe, Di Russo Francesco
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy.
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome "Foro Italico", Rome, Italy.
Behav Brain Res. 2020 Jun 18;388:112663. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2020.112663. Epub 2020 Apr 28.
Human locomotion is the product of complex dynamic systems, which rely on physical capacities as well as cognitive functions. In our daily life, we mostly experience forward walking, but also backward stepping can occur, as in protective stepping. In this work, we investigated the electroencephalographic (EEG) correlates of cognitive processing underpinning step initiation by means of movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) analysis and force-plates recordings. Healthy young volunteers (N = 11) performed self-paced forward- and backward-oriented steps on two force platforms, which were synchronized to simultaneous EEG recordings. MRCPs and their source localization analyses were computed. Results demonstrate the involvement of cognitive processing during step preparation and execution, as showed by the prefrontal activity, which was enhanced in backward stepping. Further, the parietal activity was larger in forward than backward stepping, while motor-related regions were involved in both step directions. Thus, the neural timing and sources of forward and backward stepping suggest a functional distinction of these two actions, which undergo different cortical organizations. Backward stepping requires enhanced cognitive control and can be regarded as an avoidance behavior, while forward stepping would be assimilated to an oriented-to-action behavior mainly localized over parietal areas. In conclusion, preparing body locomotion involves high cognitive processing, with step direction showing different cortical organization and functional specialization.
人类运动是复杂动态系统的产物，该系统依赖于身体能力以及认知功能。在我们的日常生活中，我们大多经历向前行走，但也会出现向后跨步的情况，比如在保护性跨步时。在这项研究中，我们通过与运动相关的皮层电位（MRCPs）分析和测力台记录，研究了支撑步幅起始的认知加工过程的脑电图（EEG）相关性。健康的年轻志愿者（N = 11）在两个测力平台上进行了自定步速的向前和向后跨步，这两个平台与同步的脑电图记录相匹配。计算了MRCPs及其源定位分析。结果表明，前额叶活动显示，在步幅准备和执行过程中涉及认知加工，这种活动在向后跨步时增强。此外，顶叶活动在向前跨步时比向后跨步时更大，而与运动相关的区域在两个步幅方向上均有涉及。因此，向前和向后跨步的神经时间和源表明这两种动作在功能上存在差异，它们经历不同的皮层组织。向后跨步需要增强的认知控制，可被视为一种回避行为，而向前跨步则可被视为主要定位于顶叶区域的面向行动的行为。总之，准备身体运动涉及高度的认知加工，步幅方向显示出不同的皮层组织和功能特化。
