Mobile Electroencephalography for Studying Neural Control of Human Locomotion

Abstract

Walking or running in real-world environments requires dynamic multisensory processing within the brain. Studying supraspinal neural pathways during human locomotion provides opportunities to better understand complex neural circuity that may become compromised due to aging, neurological disorder, or disease. Knowledge gained from studies examining human electrical brain dynamics during gait can also lay foundations for developing locomotor neurotechnologies for rehabilitation or human performance. Technical barriers have largely prohibited neuroimaging during gait, but the portability and precise temporal resolution of non-invasive electroencephalography (EEG) have expanded human neuromotor research into increasingly dynamic tasks. In this narrative mini-review, we provide a (1) brief introduction and overview of modern neuroimaging technologies and then identify considerations for (2) mobile EEG hardware, (3) and data processing, (4) including technical challenges and possible solutions. Finally, we summarize (5) knowledge gained from human locomotor control studies that have used mobile EEG, and (6) discuss future directions for real-world neuroimaging research.