Effects of Cognitive Fatigue on Gait
ConditionMental Fatigue
Trial statusNot yet recruiting
Trial phaseNot applicable
Trial typeInterventional
Biological sexAll
Age18-60
SponsorState University of New York at Buffalo
About this trial
The goal of this study is to comprehend how mental fatigue could affect human gait. The main questions to answer are:
* Does mental fatigue change how people walk? * How long does it take for walking patterns to return to normal after mental fatigue sets in? * What role do constructs like boredom, sleepiness, and motivation play in this relationship?
To achieve this, participants will take part in the experiment, split into two sessions:
Day 1 (online, about 25 minutes): Practice session. Participants will practice a computer task that will be used to induce mental fatigue in the next session.
Day 2 (in-person, about 1.5 to 2 hours): Participants will wear several wearable sensors: motion sensors on their legs, feet, and back, sensor insoles in their shoes, a cap that measures brain activity, and glasses that track eye movement. After sensor placement, participants will walk in a straight line for 10 meters to measure their normal walking pattern. They will then complete a 32-minute computer task designed to induce mental fatigue. Afterward, participants will walk in a straight line for 10 meters again, rest for 3 minutes, and repeat this walk-and-rest cycle 3 more times. Participants will also answer short questions about how tired, bored, and alert they feel throughout the session.
Eligibility criteria
This trial accepts healthy volunteersQualifiers
Adults aged 18-60 years.
Neurotypical individuals with no self-reported history of neurological or cognitive disorders.
Able to walk independently, without an assistive device.
Fluent in English.
Disqualifiers
Outside the age range of 18-60 years.
Self-reported history of neurological or cognitive disorders (e.g., epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke/traumatic brain injury).
Any musculoskeletal condition or injury affecting normal gait.
Use of an assistive device for walking (e.g., cane, walker, brace).
Trial design
Design model
Single group
Treatments tested in this trial
Mental fatigue
Other interventionParticipants will undergo a mental fatigue induction protocol to examine its effects on gait parameters.
Treatment groups
30 Participants
are divided into 1 treatment groupGroup A: Mental fatigueExperimental treatment 1 intervention
Trial outcomes
Primary outcomes
1
Subjective fatigue (VAS fatigue rating)
Change in self-reported mental fatigue from baseline (PRE) to immediately after the mental fatigue induction task (POST), measured using the Visual Analog Scale for Fatigue (VAS). The VAS is a single-item, self-report scale ranging from 0 to 10, where 0 indicates "not tired at all" and 10 indicates "extremely tired." Higher scores indicate greater self-reported mental fatigue.
Time frame
Right at the beginning of the experiment and right after the 32-minutes TloadDback task2
Change in Mean Reaction Time of the Psychomotor Vigilance Task (PVT)
Change in mean reaction time on the Psychomotor Vigilance Task from PRE to POST TloadDback, used as a behavioral indicator of mental fatigue-related vigilance decrement. Slower reaction time in the POST, compared to PRE, means more mentally fatigued.
Time frame
Right at the beginning and right after the 32-minute TloadDback cognitive task.3
Change in Gait Velocity
Change in gait velocity (meters/second), comparing baseline (PRE) walking trials to post-task (POST) walking trials, measured using inertial measurement units and pressure-sensing insoles. Here, there is no clear pattern; however, we expect participants to slow their gait spede after the fatigue intervention.
Time frame
Right at the beginning and right after the 32-minute TloadDback cognitive task.4
Change in Gait Cadence
Change in gait cadence (steps/minute), comparing baseline (PRE) walking trials to post-task (POST) walking trials, measured using inertial measurement units and pressure-sensing insoles. There is no clear pattern here; however, we are expecting the cadence (steps/minute) to decrease after the fatigue intervention.
Time frame
Immediately before and immediately after the 32-minute TloadDback taskSecondary outcomes
1
Gait Velocity During Post-Task Recovery
Gait velocity (meters/second), measured at 3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes after the TloadDback task, where participants will rest for 3 minutes, walk 10 meters, and repeat this cycle 4 times. The idea is to examine whether and how walking speed changes as participants rest and recover from mental fatigue. Values will be reported separately for each timepoint. We will be expecting the gait velocity to increase after resting.
Time frame
3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes after the 32-minute TloadDback task2
Gait Cadence During Post-Task Recovery
Gait cadence (steps/minute), measured at 3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes after the TloadDback task, where participants will rest for 3 minutes, walk 10 meters, and repeat this cycle 4 times. The idea is to examine whether and how stepping rate changes as participants rest and recover from mental fatigue. Values will be reported separately for each time point.
Time frame
3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes after the 32-minute TloadDback task3
Stance and Swing Phase Duration During Post-Task Recovery
Stance phase duration and swing phase duration, each expressed as a percentage of the gait cycle, measured at 3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes after the TloadDback task, where participants will rest for 3 minutes, walk 10 meters, and repeat this cycle 4 times. The idea is to examine whether and how the distribution of gait phases changes as participants rest and recover from mental fatigue. Values will be reported separately for stance and swing phase at each timepoint. Stance phase is the gait phase where the foot is on the ground, while swing phase is the gait phase where the foot is moving forward (off the ground).
Time frame
3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes after the 32-minute TloadDback task4
Lower Extremity Joint Angles During Post-Task Recovery (Hip/Knee/Ankle)
Peak hip, knee, and ankle joint angles (degrees) during walking, measured at 3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes after the TloadDback task, where participants will rest for 3 minutes, walk 10 meters, and repeat this cycle 4 times. The idea is to examine whether and how the joint range of motion changes as participants rest and recover from mental fatigue. Values will be reported separately for hip, knee, and ankle at each time point.
Time frame
3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes after the 32-minute TloadDback taskLocations
Sponsors and contacts
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Source ClinicalTrials.gov
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