{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,31]],"date-time":"2026-01-31T07:03:00Z","timestamp":1769842980275,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"18","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,14]],"date-time":"2021-09-14T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1631577600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Sensors"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Increased oxygenated hemoglobin concentration of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) has been observed during linear walking, particularly when there is a high attention demand on the task, like in dual-task (DT) paradigms. Despite the knowledge that cognitive and motor demands depend on the complexity of the motor task, most studies have only focused on usual walking, while little is known for more challenging tasks, such as curved paths. To explore the relationship between cortical activation and gait biomechanics, 20 healthy young adults were asked to perform linear and curvilinear walking trajectories in single-task and DT conditions. PFC activation was assessed using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, while gait quality with four inertial measurement units. The Figure-of-8-Walk-Test was adopted as the curvilinear trajectory, with the \u201cSerial 7s\u201d test as concurrent cognitive task. Results show that walking along curvilinear trajectories in DT led to increased PFC activation and decreased motor performance. Under DT walking, the neural correlates of executive function and gait control tend to be modified in response to the cognitive resources imposed by the motor task. Being more representative of real-life situations, this approach to curved walking has the potential to reveal crucial information and to improve people\u2019 s balance, safety, and life\u2019s quality.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/s21186159","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,14]],"date-time":"2021-09-14T21:47:21Z","timestamp":1631656041000},"page":"6159","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":15,"title":["Modifications in Prefrontal Cortex Oxygenation in Linear and Curvilinear Dual Task Walking: A Combined fNIRS and IMUs Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"21","author":[{"given":"Valeria","family":"Belluscio","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Interuniversity Centre of Bioengineering of the Human Neuromusculoskeletal System, University of Rome \u201cForo Italico\u201d, Piazza Lauro de Bosis 15, 00135 Roma, Italy"},{"name":"IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Roma, Italy"}]},{"given":"Gabriele","family":"Casti","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Interuniversity Centre of Bioengineering of the Human Neuromusculoskeletal System, University of Rome \u201cForo Italico\u201d, Piazza Lauro de Bosis 15, 00135 Roma, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3041-2917","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marco","family":"Ferrari","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L\u2019Aquila, 67100 L\u2019Aquila, Italy"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9884-0304","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Valentina","family":"Quaresima","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L\u2019Aquila, 67100 L\u2019Aquila, Italy"}]},{"given":"Maria Sofia","family":"Sappia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Artinis Medical Systems B.V., 6662 PW Elst, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Donders Institute for Brain, Behaviour and Cognition, Radboud University Nijmegen, 6525 EN Nijmegen, The Netherlands"}]},{"given":"J\u00f6rn M.","family":"Horschig","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Artinis Medical Systems B.V., 6662 PW Elst, The Netherlands"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2359-6076","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giuseppe","family":"Vannozzi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Interuniversity Centre of Bioengineering of the Human Neuromusculoskeletal System, University of Rome \u201cForo Italico\u201d, Piazza Lauro de Bosis 15, 00135 Roma, Italy"},{"name":"IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Ardeatina 306, 00179 Roma, Italy"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,9,14]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.1016\/j.gaitpost.2020.09.012","article-title":"A consensus guide to using functional near-infrared spectroscopy in posture and gait research","volume":"82","author":"Menant","year":"2020","journal-title":"Gait Posture"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Quaresima, V., and Ferrari, M. 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