Changes in cerebral blood flow during forward and backward walking with speed misperception generated by virtual reality.
Akiyoshi Takami, Jun Taguchi, Misato Makino
PMID 34393364WHAT IT FOUND
After watching a VR video of walking faster than they actually walked, healthy adults showed increased blood flow in the right prefrontal cortex when walking backward on a treadmill.
This did not happen when walking forward. The study measured brain activity, not physical recovery.
Key findings
01Walking backward after viewing a VR video resulted in a significant increase in cerebral blood flow in the right prefrontal cortex compared to walking forward.
02There were no significant differences in brain activity between forward and backward walking before viewing VR or during VR viewing.
03The study involved healthy young adults, not patients, and measured only prefrontal cortex activity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted on healthy young adults, so it does not show how stroke patients or other clinical populations respond. It measured brain activity as a proxy for effort or engagement, not physical performance or clinical outcomes. The sample size was small (18 participants). Only the prefrontal cortex was measured, so activity in other brain regions involved in walking was not assessed.
Declared interests
The work was supported by a JSPS KAKENHI grant. The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this VR backward walking technique improves physical function or gait in patients. The study measured brain blood flow in healthy young people walking at a very slow speed, not rehabilitation outcomes.