The structure of the stride-to-stride time intervals during paced walking can be altered by the temporal pattern of the pacing cues, however, it is unknown if an altered probability distribution of these cues could also affect stride-to-stride time intervals. We investigated the effect of the temporal pattern and probability distribution of visual pacing cues on the temporal structure of the variability of the stride-to-stride time intervals during walking. Participants completed self-paced walking (SPW) and walking paced by visual cueing that had a temporal pattern of either pink noise presented with a normal distribution (PNND), shuffled pink noise presented with a normal distribution (SPNND), white noise presented with a normal distribution (WNND), and white noise presented with a uniform distribution (WNUD). The temporal structure of the stride-to-stride time intervals was quantified using the scaling exponent calculated from Detrended Fluctuation Analysis. The scaling exponent was higher during the SPW and PNND trials than during the SPNND, WNND and WNUD trials and it was lower during the WNUD trial compared to the SPNND trial. The results revealed that both the temporal pattern and the probability distribution of the visual pacing cues can affect the scaling exponent of the variability of the stride-to-stride time intervals. This information is fundamental in understanding how visual input is involved in the control of gait.

在有节奏的步行过程中，步幅时间间隔的结构可以通过起搏线索的时间模式来改变，但是，这些线索的概率分布改变是否也会影响步幅时间间隔是未知的。我们研究了视觉起搏线索的时间模式和概率分布对步行期间步幅时间间隔可变性的时间结构的影响。参与者完成了自定步调步行 (SPW) 和通过视觉提示步调步行，视觉提示具有以下时间模式：呈正态分布的粉红噪声 (PNND)、呈正态分布的混洗粉红噪声 (SPNND)、呈正态分布的白噪声正态分布 (WNND) 和呈均匀分布的白噪声 (WNUD)。使用从去趋势波动分析计算的缩放指数量化跨步时间间隔的时间结构。SPW 和 PNND 试验期间的标度指数高于 SPNND、WNND 和 WNUD 试验期间的标度指数，并且与 SPNND 试验相比，WNUD 试验期间的标度指数较低。结果表明，视觉起搏线索的时间模式和概率分布都会影响步幅到步幅时间间隔可变性的比例指数。该信息对于理解视觉输入如何参与步态控制至关重要。WNND 和 WNUD 试验，并且与 SPNND 试验相比，WNUD 试验期间较低。结果表明，视觉起搏线索的时间模式和概率分布都会影响步幅到步幅时间间隔可变性的比例指数。该信息对于理解视觉输入如何参与步态控制至关重要。WNND 和 WNUD 试验，并且与 SPNND 试验相比，WNUD 试验期间较低。结果表明，视觉起搏线索的时间模式和概率分布都会影响步幅到步幅时间间隔可变性的比例指数。该信息对于理解视觉输入如何参与步态控制至关重要。