2.8. Primary Outcome Measures
HbH, Anxiety, anxiety
Levels of anxiety will be evaluated via Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale [For evaluation of DLPFC activation during gait, non-invasive measurements of local cortical hemoglobin (hBT) (i.e., blood volume), deoxyhemoglobin (HbH), and oxyhemoglobin (HbT) will be executed using a portable spectrometer (f-NIRS: PortaLite mini, Artinis Medical Systems, Zetten, Netherlands) with a capacity of light emission and detection of 840–760 nm, using a sampling frequency of 10 hz. The distance between NIRS optodes (i.e., sender and receiver) will be 25 mm, enabling a maximum penetration depth of 23 mm and an average measurement depth of 12.5 mm. Increased brain activity is generally considered to mirror increases in local HbOGait initiation (self-triggered) will be tested 3 times with each leg placed on a separate force platform according to the methodology employed in previous studies. Subsequently, the participants will walk barefoot along the 10 m laboratory walkway within ±5% of their preferred walking speed [