How the brain multitasks while walking
A study published in the journal NeuroImage showed that healthy brains can perform multiple tasks while walking, without affecting the completion of each task. David Richardson, lead author of the paper, said: "This study demonstrates the flexibility of the brain to withstand the additional burden. The findings showed that participants' walking patterns improved when performing cognitive tasks simultaneously, suggesting that performing tasks while walking was actually more stable than walking intently. In the experiment, the researchers used the MoBI (Mobile Brain/Body Imaging System) from the Del Monte Institute's Frederick J. and Marion A. Schindler Laboratory of Cognitive Neurophysiology. The platform combines virtual reality, brain monitoring, and motion capture technology. As participants walked on a treadmill or manipulated objects on a table, 16 high-speed cameras recorded position markers with millimeter accuracy while measuring brain activity. When participants walked on a treadmill and were prompted to switch tasks, the researchers used MoBI to record brain activity. When they sit and perform the same task, brain activity is also recorded. Brain changes for different cue tasks were recorded, and the recordings showed that the neurophysiological differences between walking and sitting states were greater in more difficult tasks — highlighting the flexibility of a healthy brain and how it prepares and performs tasks according to difficulty levels.