Which obstacle attributes place additional demands on higher-level cognitive function in patients with Parkinson's disease?

Background: Previous reports show that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) rely on prefrontal activation to compensate for impaired motor function during complex activities such as obstacle negotiation. However, the influence of the properties of …

Prefrontal cortex activation during obstacle negotiation: What's the effect size and timing?

Background: Obstacle negotiation is a daily activity that requires the integration of sensorimotor and cognitive information. Recent studies provide evidence for the important role of prefrontal cortex during obstacle negotiation. We aimed to explore …

Effects of aging on prefrontal brain activation during challenging walking conditions

Background Deficits in cognitive domains, in particular, those related to the prefrontal cortex, contribute to diminished walking performance in complex conditions in older age. Studies using functional near infra-red spectroscopy (fNIRS) reported …

The Role of the Frontal Lobe in Complex Walking among Patients with Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Older Adults: An fNIRS Study

Background. Gait is influenced by higher order cognitive and cortical control mechanisms. Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) has been used to examine frontal activation during walking in healthy older adults, reporting increased oxygenated …