A study at the University of Rochester’s Del Monte Institute of Neuroscience has found that people with healthy brains can multitask while walking without it affecting their performance on each activity.
According to the lead study author and a student at the Pathology and Cell Biology Disease Program, University of Rochester, David Richardson, the study results indicate that the brain can handle tasks simultaneously as it is flexible.
Moreover, people walked better when doing cognitive tasks. For this reason, the researchers concluded that people became more stable when they performed cognitive tasks while walking.
How researchers conducted the study
The team worked in the Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Cognitive Neurophysiology Lab, Del Monte Institute. They used Mobile Brain/Body Imaging Systems (MoBI) to find their results. This allowed them to combine virtual reality, motion capture, and brain monitoring technology.
Researchers asked participants to manipulate objects on a table or walk on treadmills. While they did these tasks, the team used high-speed cameras to record positions markers accurately while checking their brain activity.
Researchers recorded brain activity as respondents switched from one task to another. They also recorded them doing tasks as they sat down and compared the differences. The team concluded that there were significant differences in neurological activity when sitting or walking.
Another study author, Edward Freeman, explains that MoBI allowed them to study the brain’s activities in everyday situations. Furthermore, it showed them how healthy and young brains should function, which could shed light on how the brains of people with neurodegenerative diseases work.
Social and biological determinants determine brain health
Over the past few years, studies on brain health have grown. This topic covers recovery, plasticity, functioning, and neural development. A report by the World Health Organization indicates that people with healthy brains know their abilities. Therefore they can optimize behavioral, emotional, cognitive, and psychological functions to come with their everyday life.
Scientists agree that many social and biological determinants affect how the brain develops throughout an individual’s life. These determinants also affect how the brain responds and adapts to adversity and stress. The team published the study in the Neuroimage journal.
