Table 1 Studies investigating initiation and acceleration of walking listed by increasing walking speed

(Mihara et al., 2007) [39]

fNIRS

[PFC, SMA, SMC];

anatomically guided from 2 representative subjects

4–10 s post-treadmill start, Treadmill, fast, comfortable pace:

Stroke: 0.33 (0.22)

Healthy: 0.97 (SD not provided)

1. Increased PFC, SMA, and SMC activation

2. Greater increase in right PFC and bilateral SMA for the stroke compared to healthy group

3. No between group differences for SMC

(Hawkins et al., 2018) [36]

fNIRS

[PFC];

placed high and lateral on the forehead

7–37 s after start command, Overground, preferred speed:

Stroke: 0.51 (0.27)

Older adults: 1.07 (0.16)

Young adults: 1.28 (0.18)

1. Increased PFC activity

2. No difference in PFC activity between hemispheres, side of stroke, or gender

2. Greater increase in PFC activity compared to young adults, but not compared to older adults

(Sburlea et al., 2015) [29]

EEG

[Whole head];

10/10 system

−1.5–0 s prior to start,

Overground, comfortable pace: exact pace not specified

1. Activation at SMA and M1 500 ms prior to walking onset

2. More widespread activation in stroke group compared to healthy young adults (from Sburlea et al. [29]). Though no statistical comparisons made