Modulation of Gait During Visual Adaptation to Dark

• Published in: Journal of motor behavior Vol. 38; no. 2; pp. 118 - 125
• Main Authors: Moe-Nilssen, Rolf, Helbostad, Jorunn L., Åkra, Torunn, Birkedal, Lene, Nygaard, Harald A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Heldref 01-03-2006; Taylor & Francis Inc
• Subjects: Adaptation, Ocular - physiology; Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Control Groups; dark adaptation; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gait - physiology; gait analysis; human locomotion; Humans; Lighting; Locomotion - physiology; motor adaptation; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; Movement; Older Adults; Reading Tests; Signal Detection, Psychological; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Vision; Visual Acuity; Visual Aids; Visual Impairments; Walking; Human; Perceptual adaptation; Gait; motor adaptation; Environmental factor; gait analysis; Locomotion; human locomotion; dark adaptation; Modulation; Vision; Perception; Illumination
• ISSN: 0022-2895; 1940-1027
• DOI: 10.3200/JMBR.38.2.118-125

The authors investigated the modulation of gait during dark adaptation. Twenty-five women (mean age = 72 years, SD = 5 years) walked back and forth on an arbitrarily uneven walkway during normal lighting at speeds ranging from slow to fast. Participants then performed 20 trials at preferred speed after sudden reduction of lighting; the authors compared those trials with point estimates at equivalent speeds representing normal lighting. The authors estimated speed, cadence, mediolateral trunk acceleration, and mediolateral interstep trunk-acceleration variability for each trial. Participants compensated for sudden reduction of lighting by reducing their walking speed. Compared with performance at equivalent speeds during normal lighting, cadence, trunk acceleration, and interstep trunk-acceleration variability initially increased. All variables showed an asymptotic approximation toward normal values during 60-90 s of walking in subdued lighting. The authors suggest that the sudden transition from normal to marginal lighting, rather than marginal lighting itself, may challenge locomotor control.