@article{ref1,
title="The allocation of attention during locomotion is altered by anxiety",
journal="Experimental brain research",
year="2003",
author="Gage, W.H. and Sleik, R.J. and Polych, M.A. and McKenzie, N.C. and Brown, L.A.",
volume="150",
number="3",
pages="385-394",
abstract="We tested the hypotheses that: (1) anxiety regarding the possibility of   falling alters the attentional demands of gait; and (2) this alteration   in the attentional requirements of gait occurs independently of gait   pattern accommodations. Sixteen younger and 15 older adults participated   in this study. Subjects walked at a self-determined velocity along a   7.2-m walkway under four conditions of postural threat; the walking   conditions varied depending on the width constraints of the walkway (60   cm vs 15 cm) and the height of the walking surface (0 cm vs 60 cm).   Attentional demands of locomotion in each condition of testing were   assessed using the dual-task methodology, in which participants verbally   responded to an auditory cue as quickly as possible while continuing to   walk. Our findings revealed that: (1) participants were successful in   verbally responding to the auditory cue without modifying their gait   pattern; (2) reaction times increased for all subjects when walking in   the condition of greatest postural threat; (3) the attentional demands   for locomotion varied with the phase of the gait cycle for younger   adults but not for older adults; (4) the phase-dependent effect for   younger adults disappeared in the condition of greatest postural threat,   while reaction time scores for older adults systematically increased;   and (5) increases in reaction time persisted despite significant changes   in gait kinematics. Our findings confirm that anxiety increases the   attentional demands for locomotion and provide further explanation for   age-dependent increases in the attentional demands of gait. Furthermore,   our findings confirm that fall-related anxiety predicates an increase in   the allocation of attention to locomotor control that is independent of   gait pattern adjustments.<p />",
language="",
issn="0014-4819",
doi="10.1007/s00221-003-1468-7",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00221-003-1468-7"
}