ArticlePloS one2023
Older adults and stroke survivors are steadier when gazing down.
Article in PloS one, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Altered walking gaze behavior after stroke: more than meets the eye.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2026Article
- How far along the future path do individuals recognize the path for stepping on multiple footfall targets? A new evaluation method under virtual reality.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2025Article
- Downward gazing behavior after stroke can enhance postural control even in the absence of visual input.Frontiers in neurology · 2025Article
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAdvanced age and brain damage have been reported to increase the propensity to gaze down while walking, a behavior that is thought to enhance stability through anticipatory stepping control. Recently, downward gazing (DWG) has been shown to enhance postural steadiness in healthy adults, suggesting that it can also support stability through a feedback control mechanism. These results have been speculated to be the consequence of the altered visual flow when gazing down. The main objective of this cross-sectional, exploratory study was to investigate whether DWG also enhances postural control in older adults and stroke survivors, and whether such effect is altered with aging and brain damage.
methodsPosturography of older adults and stroke survivors, performing a total of 500 trials, was tested under varying gaze conditions and compared with a cohort of healthy young adults (375 trials). To test the involvement of the visual system we performed spectral analysis and compared the changes in the relative power between gaze conditions.
resultsReduction in postural sway was observed when participants gazed down 1 and 3 meters ahead whereas DWG towards the toes decreased steadiness. These effects were unmodulated by age but were modulated by stroke. The relative power in the spectral band associated with visual feedback was significantly reduced when visual input was unavailable (eyes-closed condition) but was unaffected by the different DWG conditions.
conclusionsLike young adults, older adults and stroke survivors better control their postural sway when gazing down a few steps ahead, but extreme DWG can impair this ability, especially in people with stroke.
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