Preliminary Study: The Test Technique for the Evaluation on Spatial Navigation in the Absence of Visual Data in Healthy Individuals

Abstract

Background and Aim: Path integration refers to the capability of utilizing self-motion information produced by one’s own bodily movements to accurately determine and maintain one’s position in space. Typically, path integration mechanisms come into play when visual information is limited or absent. The objective of this study was to develop a path integration test that relies solely on self-motion cues derived from body movements, without the involvement of visual cues. Methods: The study involved 157 volunteers (86 females and 71 males) aged between 18 and 70 years. Participants were asked to walk on a coordinated ground with their closed eyes and follow the six different commands. They were, after that, requested to return their initial position. Movement time was manually measured by the stopwatch. The distance between the original reference point and estimated starting point was recorded. Results: The second command that showed the lowest standard deviation out of the six commands given to the participants was observed as the more reliable test among the  other commands (47.51±33.75). In addition, the completion time of the second command increased with increasing age (p<0.001). Conclusion: This study introduces an innovative spatial navigation approach utilizing the second command set. As an alternative, this command can be used to assess the human spatial navigation system.   Keywords: Path integration; spatial navigation; vestibular system; visual system