title: The effect of stopping before turning on the direct observational measure of whole body turning bias.
abstract: Turning bias, the preferential tendency to turn toward a given direction has been reported in both rodents and human participants. The observational gait method of determining turning bias in humans requires a stop prior to turning. This study removed the stop and hypothesised that turning bias would remain the same between stop and non-stop conditions if bias was solely under the control of neurochemical asymmetries. The results showed that statistically turning bias remained the same (to the left) regardless of method used but there was no agreement between the methods thus rejecting the hypothesis. It is likely that when not stopping biomechanical factors related to gait when turning influence the direction of turn rather than solely neurochemical asymmetries.
authors.affiliation: University of Essex, School of Biological Sciences, Colchester, Essex CO4 3SQ, UK. Electronic address: mtaylor@essex.ac.uk.
authors.forename: M J D
authors.initials: MJD
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: University of Roehampton, Department of Life Sciences, Whitelands College, Holybourne Avenue, London SW15 4JD, UK.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Strike
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bias; Biomechanics; Gait; Lateral dominance; Turning