Walking enhances peripheral visual processing in humans

• Published in: PLoS biology Vol. 17; no. 10; p. e3000511
• Main Authors: Cao, Liyu, Händel, Barbara
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 11.10.2019; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Alpha Rhythm - physiology; Animal behavior; Biology and Life Sciences; Brain research; Cognitive ability; Computer and Information Sciences; Cortex; EEG; Electroencephalography; Evoked Potentials, Visual - physiology; Eye movements; Female; Fitness equipment; Humans; Influence; Information processing; Inhibition, Psychological; Locomotion; Locomotion - physiology; Male; Medicine and Health Sciences; Neuromodulation; Neurophysiology; Oscillations; Pattern Recognition, Visual - physiology; Perceptions; Photic Stimulation; Psychomotor Performance - physiology; Research and Analysis Methods; Sensory evaluation; Sensory integration; Social Sciences; Studies; Vision, Ocular - physiology; Visual Cortex - physiology; Visual evoked potentials; Visual perception; Visual stimuli; Walking; Walking - physiology; Germany
• ISSN: 1545-7885; 1544-9173; 1545-7885
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3000511

Cognitive processes are almost exclusively investigated under highly controlled settings during which voluntary body movements are suppressed. However, recent animal work suggests differences in sensory processing between movement states by showing drastically changed neural responses in early visual areas between locomotion and stillness. Does locomotion also modulate visual cortical activity in humans, and what are the perceptual consequences? Our study shows that walking increased the contrast-dependent influence of peripheral visual input on central visual input. This increase is prevalent in stimulus-locked electroencephalogram (EEG) responses (steady-state visual evoked potential [SSVEP]) alongside perceptual performance. Ongoing alpha oscillations (approximately 10 Hz) further positively correlated with the walking-induced changes of SSVEP amplitude, indicating the involvement of an altered inhibitory process during walking. The results predicted that walking leads to an increased processing of peripheral visual input. A second study indeed showed an increased contrast sensitivity for peripheral compared to central stimuli when subjects were walking. Our work shows complementary neurophysiological and behavioural evidence corroborating animal findings that walking leads to a change in early visual neuronal activity in humans. That neuronal modulation due to walking is indeed linked to specific perceptual changes extends the existing animal work.