Sympathetic response following unannounced loss of balance during walking in young adults: laboratory study

Gil Meir, Amos Katz, Yuliya Berdichevsky, Anat Reiner-Benaim, Itshak Melzer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

An unannounced balance loss during walking, i.e., balance perturbation, is a stressful event, which changes the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). We examined SNS response to unannounced balance perturbation during walking, simulating real-life condition of balance loss. We asked: do laboratory-induced unannounced balance losses during walking cause a sympathetic response, and-if so-does it habituate after a series of perturbations? Thirty-four young adults underwent a series of six successive unannounced balance perturbations while walking on a treadmill. Sympathetic activity was monitored continuously using electrodermal activity and compared before and immediately after each unannounced perturbation. All perturbations elicited a significant increase of electrodermal activity (P < 0.001), indicating a phasic increase in the sympathetic drive. The relative phasic increase of electrodermal activity caused by the first perturbation was significantly higher than the last perturbation (P < 0.05). Three different types of electrodermal activity behavior were observed: steady-level tonic SNS activity, increased SNS activity, and decreased SNS activity. Balance loss during walking triggers phasic SNS response, this response habituates after a series of unannounced balance perturbations. In addition, three distinct patterns of tonic sympathetic activity may imply variations in the ability of the SNS response to habituate across individuals.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Up to date, the literature typically provides information about sympathetic nervous system activity and relatively static balance. We believe that exposing participants to a balance loss during walking, i.e., unexpected perturbation, provides a more ecologically valid situation to measure sympathetic nervous system response; this provides new and vital knowledge that can have a significant impact and understanding of how the SNS responds to a loss of balance in a real-life situation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)822-828
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Neurophysiology
Volume132
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Sep 2024

Keywords

  • autonomic nervous system
  • balance perturbations
  • electrodermal activity
  • sympathetic nervous system
  • unexpected balance loss

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Neuroscience
  • Physiology

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