The Role of Perturbed Auditory Information for Self-motion in Gait

NCT05713383 | Withdrawn

• 1 other identifier: 0794-22-EP
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: N/A
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

As people walk and interact with objects such as when opening a door, their movements make sounds. It is possible that these sounds are also used as feedback to stabilize and adapt movement. There is some evidence for such a connection between the auditory and motor systems in activities of daily living, yet the empirical work is insufficient because the role of the auditory system in movement is a relatively neglected topic. The objective of this study is to address this gap. The study will also evaluate the potential for improvements in movement stability and variability by restricting or augmenting the auditory feedback from the participants' footstep sounds.

Conditions

Gait

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Gait instability measured with the maximum Lyapunov exponent (MLE)

  The MLE is sensitive to the degree to which the gait cycle tends to diverge from its average repeated pattern. It is typically computed with the Rosenstein algorithm applied to motion-tracking data recorded while the participant is walking. More specifically, the marker is placed on the participant's upper body close to the center-of-mass. MLE equal to zero indicates a neutrally stable dynamic with perfectly repeatable oscillation. Paradoxically, this is maladaptive. Very low values of MLE close to zero tend to be associated with motor disorders. Increasingly positive values of MLE correspond to higher tolerance for dynamic instability and are associated with a healthy gait pattern. There are also exceptions, not relevant to the present study, where very high instability corresponds to specific motor disorders.

  The time frame to measure changes in the outcome variable is two weeks, from the first to last measurement. The time frame to obtain one sample is a few minutes of walking.

Study Arms (2)

Walking

NO INTERVENTION

Walking normally without restriction

Walking Quietly

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants instructed to make little noise while walking.

Behavioral: Auditory Feedback

Interventions

Auditory Feedback BEHAVIORAL

Sound amplification is used to accentuate participants' footsteps, while asking them to step softly so as to reduce this sound.

Walking Quietly

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 19 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• self-reported tolerance to 30 minute exercise
• self-reported ability to walk comfortably for half an hour

You may not qualify if:

• known hearing or visual impairment
• currently being pregnant
• history of back or lower extremity injury, surgery that affects mobility, and neurological disease or impairment that limit the ability to walk

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Nebraska: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Nebraska-Omaha, Department of Biomechanics,

Omaha, Nebraska, 68182, United States

Location

Study Officials

• Dobromir Dotov, PhD

  University of Nebraska

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: January 6, 2023
• First Posted: February 6, 2023
• Study Start: March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion: April 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Last Updated: January 16, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)