Our Brain Modulates Auditory Processing During Walking!
- Büşra Köse-Özkan
- Nov 9
- 2 min read
Researchers led by Barbara Händel from the University of Würzburg investigated whether auditory processing is affected during walking in a new study published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Thirty participants with normal hearing walked on a "figure-eight" track while researchers recorded their brain activities using mobile EEG (electroencephalogram). Participants exhibited stronger neural responses while walking on the track compared to when they stood still or walked in place.
Specifically, different walking directions changed the brain's response to auditory stimuli. Dr. Cao, a member of the research group, explained this finding as follows: "As participants turned right, the responses to sounds from the right ear increased at the beginning of the turn, but were then suppressed compared to the left. This might reflect a shift of attention during the turn."
The brain becomes more sensitive to unexpected sounds while walking.
When researchers added sudden sound bursts to the experiment, this change produced a different response in the brain. This response was also strongest while walking; but only when the sound burst came from a single ear. This finding was interpreted as people being particularly sensitive to auditory inputs from the sides while walking.
Dr. Cao explained this situation as follows: "This might suggest that the brain operates like a filtering mechanism. The brain may suppress predictable background sounds, like our own footsteps, while increasing sensitivity to unexpected sounds. This could enable faster responses and safer navigation in dynamic environments."
Key questions answered:
Does the way the brain processes sounds change while walking?
Yes—participants' neural responses to sounds while walking were stronger compared to standing still or walking in place. Turning right or left changed the responses to sounds from each ear; this indicates that the focus of attention shifts during movement.
Why are these findings important for auditory processing?
Because the brain might be filtering out predictable noises, like footsteps, while increasing sensitivity to unexpected sounds. This is important for safe movement and environmental awareness.
Chen, X., Cao, L., Wieske, R. E., Prada, J., Gramann, K., & Haendel, B. F. (2025). Walking modulates active auditory sensing. The Journal of Neuroscience, e0489252025.
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