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Sympathetic response following unannounced loss of balance during walking in young adults: laboratory study.
- Source :
-
Journal of neurophysiology [J Neurophysiol] 2024 Sep 01; Vol. 132 (3), pp. 822-828. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Aug 07. - Publication Year :
- 2024
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Abstract
- An unannounced balance loss during walking, i.e., balance perturbation, is a stressful event, which changes the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). We examined SNS response to unannounced balance perturbation during walking, simulating real-life condition of balance loss. We asked: do laboratory-induced unannounced balance losses during walking cause a sympathetic response, and-if so-does it habituate after a series of perturbations? Thirty-four young adults underwent a series of six successive unannounced balance perturbations while walking on a treadmill. Sympathetic activity was monitored continuously using electrodermal activity and compared before and immediately after each unannounced perturbation. All perturbations elicited a significant increase of electrodermal activity ( P < 0.001), indicating a phasic increase in the sympathetic drive. The relative phasic increase of electrodermal activity caused by the first perturbation was significantly higher than the last perturbation ( P < 0.05). Three different types of electrodermal activity behavior were observed: steady-level tonic SNS activity, increased SNS activity, and decreased SNS activity. Balance loss during walking triggers phasic SNS response, this response habituates after a series of unannounced balance perturbations. In addition, three distinct patterns of tonic sympathetic activity may imply variations in the ability of the SNS response to habituate across individuals. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Up to date, the literature typically provides information about sympathetic nervous system activity and relatively static balance. We believe that exposing participants to a balance loss during walking, i.e., unexpected perturbation, provides a more ecologically valid situation to measure sympathetic nervous system response; this provides new and vital knowledge that can have a significant impact and understanding of how the SNS responds to a loss of balance in a real-life situation.
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1522-1598
- Volume :
- 132
- Issue :
- 3
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Journal of neurophysiology
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 39108211
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1152/jn.00319.2024