Effects of state anxiety on gait: a 7.5% carbon dioxide challenge study

This study investigated the effects of state anxiety on gait. State anxiety was induced using the 7.5% carbon dioxide (CO2) inhalation procedure. Participants (n=24 recruited, n=22 for analysis) attended one session and completed two 20-minute inhalations: one of medical air (placebo) and one of 7.5% CO2. During each inhalation, participants walked the length of the laboratory while navigating through obstacles. The main findings were that overall walking speed was slower and body rotation (i.e., body adjustment through an obstacle) was greater during 7.5 CO2 compared to air. The study protocol was pre-registered on the open science framework: https://osf.io/m4etx/