Street Crossing Decision Making in Older Adults Using fNIRS

The proposed project delves into understanding the role of the decision making areas of the brain in street crossing decisions, specifically examining changes that occur in older adults (OA). Age-related changes may impede timely visuomotor integration in OA, potentially increasing the risk of traffic collisions. Utilizing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, the study aims to identify underlying cortical mechanisms driving risky street crossing behaviours in OA. By recruiting 30 participants, including 15 younger and 15 older adults, the in-lab session involves a modified street crossing paradigm on a treadmill. Virtual pedestrians cross at varying speeds, creating decision-making scenarios, while fNIRS measures prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity. Anticipated outcomes include slower decision making response time, decreased accuracy, and altered PFC activation in older adults. The project’s innovation lies in using fNIRS to explore neural correlates, contributing to insights on age-related visuomotor integration changes and informing interventions for improved pedestrian safety in older populations.

Faculty Supervisor:

Michael Cinelli

Student:

Partner:

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

Wilfrid Laurier University

Program: