From finger taps to footsteps: Gait as a model for investigating and training rhythmic abilities

Synchronization of movements to auditory rhythmic cues, such as music or metronomes, often occurs spontaneously. Nonetheless, important inter-individual differences exist in auditory-motor synchronization (AMS) performance. Effects of rhythm on movements are partly modulated by rhythmic abilities, which include beat perception, motor production, and sensorimotor integration. These rhythmic abilities are often assessed using finger tapping tasks, which can be performed in highly controlled environments and are easy to implement. In this article, we present limitations associated with finger-tapping tasks and propose gait as a superior model for investigating and training rhythmic abilities. We focus on three key elements that differentiate gait from tapping, and which are critical in assessing AMS: the need to coordinate multiple effectors, emergent timing associated with continuous actions, and movement automaticity. Interestingly, cued-gait interventions (i.e., walking to rhythmic auditory cues for several weeks) have shown positive effects on all aspects of rhythmic abilities, while tapping interventions might lead to more limited transfer. In sum, gait offers a functionally rich behavioural model that can capture the complexity and ecological validity necessary to study and train AMS.