Attentional Focus and Prefrontal Cortical Activation

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Attention may influence the motor performance and frontal activity. This study will examine the effect of different attentional focus : internal, external and divided attention (dual task) on prefrontal cortical activation (fNIRS) and on gait performance. Thirty young healthy voluntary adults will participate in this study.

Detailed Description
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The subjects will be guided to walk at a normal pace while maintaining the required attentional focus. They will walk on 30 m five times in each of the four different focus conditions :1) no instructions about the attentional focus 2) internal focus on their feet movements, 3) external focus on two lines drawn on the floor, 4) divided attention (walking while performing an arithmetic task). A fNIRS system will be used for the prefrontal cortex activation evaluation and FeetMe soles for gait analyses.

Official Title
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The Effects of Different Attentional Focus During Walking on Prefrontal Cortical Activation in Young Healthy Adults

Conditions
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Healthy

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Man or woman 18 -30 years old Informed consent obtained Free from any neurological, cardiologic, rheumatologic disorders. Exclusion Criteria: Assisted walker. Disorders affecting gait. Concomitant medication likely to interfere with the results.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 30 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Basic Science
Intervention Model: Single Group Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Young healthy voluntary adults<br>30 young healthy voluntary adults | Device: Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS)<br>* The hemodynamic response in prefrontal cortex will be measured using an Octamon+ system (Artinis). Eight emission and two detector probes will be arranged on the participant's forehead.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Effects of different attentional conditions on hemodynamic response in prefrontal cortex | Oxyhemoglobin variations in prefrontal cortex measured with fNIRS | Baseline | 
| Effects of different attentional conditions on hemodynamic response in prefrontal cortex | Deoxyhemoglobin variations in prefrontal cortex measured with fNIRS | Baseline | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Effects of speed on gait. | Gait parameters will be measured with connected soles FeetMe ® : speed | Baseline | 
| Effects of cadence on gait. | Gait parameters will be measured with connected soles FeetMe ® : cadence | Baseline | 
| Effects of stride length on gait. | Gait parameters will be measured with connected soles FeetMe ® : stride length | Baseline | 
| Effects of double support time on gait. | Gait parameters will be measured with connected soles FeetMe ® : double support time | Baseline | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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near infrared spectroscopy, prefrontal cortex, attention, gait