title: Simulated visual field loss does not alter turning coordination in healthy young adults.
abstract: Turning, while walking, is an important component of adaptive locomotion. Current hypotheses regarding the motor control of body segment coordination during turning suggest heavy influence of visual information. The authors aimed to examine whether visual field impairment (central loss or peripheral loss) affects body segment coordination during walking turns in healthy young adults. No significant differences in the onset time of segments or intersegment coordination were observed because of visual field occlusion. These results suggest that healthy young adults can use visual information obtained from central and peripheral visual fields interchangeably, pointing to flexibility of visuomotor control in healthy young adults. Further study in populations with chronic visual impairment and those with turning difficulties are warranted.
authors.affiliation: a Interdisciplinary Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences , The University of Texas at El Paso.
authors.forename: Nicholas G
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: Marlina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ponce de Leon
authors.forename: V N Pradeep
authors.initials: VN
authors.lastname: Ambati
authors.forename: Fabricio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saucedo
authors.forename: Evan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: Rebecca J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Reed-Jones
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D019416:Head Movements / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009949:Orientation / Q000502:physiology; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: locomotion; steering synergy; turning; vision; visuomotor