The Effects of Temporal and Spatial Changes in Motor Imagery of Walking on Brain Neural Activity

Using the Microstate Segmentation Method

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the neural activity in the brain during the temporal and spatial changes of a gait image by EEG analysis.

Methods: We examined the characteristics of neural activity in the brains of eight healthy young subjects under the conditions of temporal and spatial changes of a walking image by EEG microstate segmentation method.

Results: The supplementary motor area and the anterior segment of the wedge were commonly activated during the temporal and spatial changes in the gait image. The frontal eye area and the superior parietal lobule were predominantly activated during the temporal change, and the frontal eye area, frontal pole, and superior parietal lobule were predominantly activated during the spatial change.

Conclusion: It was suggested that different brain regions were activated when the gait image was changed spatially and temporally. These results suggest that the temporal and spatial characteristics of the gait image need to be considered when it is used as an optimized intervention method.