A Multifractal Dynamical Model of Human Gait

dc.creatorWest, Bruce J.
dc.creatorScafetta, Nicola
dc.date2005-04-19
dc.date.accessioned2026-07-25T15:50:38Z
dc.descriptionSummary: Walking is regulated through the motorcontrol system (MCS). The MCS consists of a network of neurons from the central nervous system (CNS) and the intraspinal nervous system (INS), which is capable of producing a syncopated output. The coupling of the latter two systems produces a complex stride interval time series that is characterized by fractal and multifractal properties that depend upon several biological and stress constraints. It has been shown that: (i) the gait phenomenon is essentially a rhythmic cycle that obeys particular phase symmetries in the synchronized movement of the limbs; (ii) the fractal and multifractal nature of the stride interval fluctuations become slightly more pronounced under faster or slower paced frequencies relative to the normal paced frequency of a subject; (iii) the randomness of the fluctuations increases if subjects are asked to synchronize their gait with the frequency of a metronome or if the subjects are elderly or suffering from neurodegenerative disease. Here we present a new model, called the super central pattern generator, able to reproduce these known properties of walking and discuss the physiological and psychological interpretations of the model parameters.
dc.description10 pages, 5 figures, chapter in Fractals in Biology and Medicine Vol. IV
dc.identifierhttps://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0504464
dc.identifierhttp://arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0504464
dc.identifier.urihttps://dspace.dare.co.zw/handle/123456789/37423
dc.subjectDisordered Systems and Neural Networks
dc.subjectOther Condensed Matter
dc.titleA Multifractal Dynamical Model of Human Gait
dc.typetext

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