title: Brain activity during walking: A systematic review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This systematic review provides an overview of the literature deducing information about brain activation during (1) imagined walking using MRI/fMRI or (2) during real walking using measurement systems as fNIRS, EEG and PET.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three independent reviewers undertook an electronic database research browsing six databases. The search request consisted of three search fields. The first field comprised common methods to evaluate brain activity. The second search field comprised synonyms for brain responses to movements. The third search field comprised synonyms for walking.
  
  
  RESULTS
  48 of an initial yield of 1832 papers were reviewed. We found differences in cortical activity regarding young vs. old individuals, physically fit vs. physically unfit cohorts, healthy people vs. patients with neurological diseases, and between simple and complex walking tasks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We summarize that the dimension of brain activity in different brain areas during walking is highly sensitive to task complexity, age and pathologies supporting previous assumptions underpinning the significance of cortical control. Many compensation mechanisms reflect the brain's plasticity which ensures stable walking.
authors: Department of Sport Science, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Zschokkestraße 32, 39104 Magdeburg, Germany. Electronic address: dennis.hamacher@ovgu.de.
authors: Dennis
authors: D
authors: Hamacher
authors: Department of Sport Science, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Zschokkestraße 32, 39104 Magdeburg, Germany.
authors: Fabian
authors: F
authors: Herold
authors: Department of Sport Science, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Zschokkestraße 32, 39104 Magdeburg, Germany.
authors: Patrick
authors: P
authors: Wiegel
authors: Department of Sport Science, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Zschokkestraße 32, 39104 Magdeburg, Germany.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Hamacher
authors: Department of Sport Science, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Zschokkestraße 32, 39104 Magdeburg, Germany.
authors: Lutz
authors: L
authors: Schega
mesh_terms: D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Cognition; Cortical activation; EEG; Gait; MRI; PET; fMRI; fNIRS