Effects of Cognitive Fatigue on Gait

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Mental Fatigue

In brief

The goal of this study is to comprehend how mental fatigue could affect human gait. The main questions to answer are: * Does mental fatigue change how people walk? * How long does it take for walking patterns to return to normal after mental fatigue sets in? * What role do constructs like boredom, sleepiness, and motivation play in this relationship? To achieve this, participants will take part in the experiment, split into two sessions: Day 1 (online, about 25 minutes): Practice session. Participants will practice a computer task that will be used to induce mental fatigue in the next session. Day 2 (in-person, about 1.5 to 2 hours): Participants will wear several wearable sensors: motion sensors on their legs, feet, and back, sensor insoles in their shoes, a cap that measures brain activity, and glasses that track eye movement. After sensor placement, participants will walk in a straight line for 10 meters to measure their normal walking pattern. They will then complete a 32-minute computer task designed to induce mental fatigue. Afterward, participants will walk in a straight line for 10 meters again, rest for 3 minutes, and repeat this walk-and-rest cycle 3 more times. Participants will also answer short questions about how tired, bored, and alert they feel throughout the session.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT07710755

Run by

State University of New York at Buffalo

People needed

30

Starts

2026-09-01

Expected to finish

2026-11-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-07-17

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 60. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• Adults aged 18-60 years.
• Neurotypical individuals with no self-reported history of neurological or cognitive disorders.
• Able to walk independently, without an assistive device.
• Fluent in English.
• Recruitment will aim for gender balance across the sample.
• For Day 2, participants must arrive with clean, dry hair, free of styling products (e.g., gels, oils), to ensure adequate EEG electrode contact.

You may not qualify if…

• Outside the age range of 18-60 years.
• Self-reported history of neurological or cognitive disorders (e.g., epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke/traumatic brain injury).
• Any musculoskeletal condition or injury affecting normal gait.
• Use of an assistive device for walking (e.g., cane, walker, brace).
• Self-reported photosensitive epilepsy or seizure disorder triggered by screen/visual stimuli.
• Non-English speaking.
• Day 2 restrictions: less than 6 hours of sleep the night before; caffeine within 2 hours of the session; alcohol within 24 hours of the session.

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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