Visuospatial perception and navigation in Parkinson's disease

A shifted field of view, an altered perception of optic flow speed, and gait asymmetries may influence heading direction in Parkinson's disease (PD). PD participants (left body-side onset, LPD, n = 14; right body-side onset, RPD, n = 9) and Healthy Control participants (n = 17) walked a virtual hallway in which the optic flow speeds of the walls varied. Three-dimensional kinematics showed participants veered away from the faster moving wall. Although veering normally occurs toward the side with smaller step length, in both LPD and RPD this bias was overridden by a shifted field of view, which caused veering in the opposite direction, toward the side of the brain with more basal ganglia damage.

Research highlights► Parkinson's disease subjects show clear gait asymmetry. ► All participants veered away from the faster moving wall. ► Parkinson's disease subjects veer due to a shifted field of view, rather than gait asymmetry.