Temporal Activity Patterns Research Articles

Moderate anthropogenic impacts alter temporal niche without affecting spatial distribution of ocelots in the Amazon rainforest

AbstractThe Amazon rainforest faces escalating human disturbances such as logging, mining, agriculture, and urbanization, leading to the conversion of primary forest into matrix habitat. This transformation's impact on mesocarnivores, specifically ocelots (Leopardus pardalis), is still largely unknown. In 2021, we deployed camera traps across a 174 km2 study area in Las Piedras, Madre de Dios, Peru, containing mixed land use and protected forests. Utilizing kernel density functions, we compared temporal activity patterns and employed spatially explicit capture‐recapture (SECR) models to assess density, encounter probability, and movement by habitat and trail type, as well as sex. Of the 293 captures, we identified 39 ocelots (21 females, 18 males), estimating an average density of 31.46 (SE 5.15) individuals per 100 km2 with no significant difference between protected and mixed‐use areas. Baseline detection and movement varied by sex, with male and female home ranges estimated at 17.14 and 4.10 km2, respectively. Ocelot temporal activity patterns differed between the protected area and the mixed‐use area, with increased nocturnality in areas of higher human impact. Our SECR results highlight that matrix habitats can support ocelot populations, emphasizing the need for further research on ocelot demographics in human‐modified Amazon rainforest areas facing varying degrees of anthropogenic disturbance.Abstract in Spanish is available with online material.

Shaping the olfactory map: cell type-specific activity patterns guide circuit formation.

The brain constructs spatially organized sensory maps to represent sensory information. The formation of sensory maps has traditionally been thought to depend on synchronous neuronal activity. However, recent evidence from the olfactory system suggests that cell type-specific temporal patterns of spontaneous activity play an instructive role in shaping the olfactory glomerular map. These findings challenge traditional views and highlight the importance of investigating the spatiotemporal dynamics of neural activity to understand the development of complex neural circuits. This review discusses the implications of new findings in the olfactory system and outlines future research directions.

Occurrence and temporal activity pattern of Burmese Red Serow (Capricornis rubidus, Bovidae) in Baraiyadhala National Park, Bangladesh: insights from a camera trapping study

Abstract No single studies on the Burmese Red Serows, a little known bovid to date yet considered as nationally endangered species, have been conducted in Bangladesh. As part of a systematic wildlife inventory and monitoring project, this study utilized 48 camera traps to elucidate their occurrence, activity pattern and possible sympatric association with other artiodactyls species inhabiting Baraiyadhala National Park. The study found 25 independent serow events with relative abundance index (RAI) of 0.89. The number of individuals seems low, but this is by far the country’s stronghold population. The Red Serows are mostly nocturnal and showed moderate temporal activity with barking dear (∆1 = 0.59) and wild boar (∆1 = 0.62) in this area. Anthropogenic pressures due to tourists (RAI = 4.8) and poachers (RAI = 1.7) were highly evident and must have negative impact on overall wildlife of the national park. The study suggests similar studies in adjacent protected area (Hazarikhil Wildlife Sanctuary), habitat protection and restoration program, and awareness raising program targeting forest dependent communities for long term conservation of this species.

Altered Cortical Activity during a Finger Tap in People with Stroke.

This study describes electroencephalography (EEG) measurements during a simple finger movement in people with stroke to understand how temporal patterns of cortical activation and network connectivity align with prolonged muscle contraction at the end of a task. We investigated changes in the EEG temporal patterns in the beta band (13-26Hz) of people with chronic stroke (N = 10, 7F/3M) and controls (N = 10, 7F/3M), during and after a cued movement of the index finger. We quantified the change in beta band EEG power relative to baseline as activation at each electrode and the change in task-based phase-locking value (tbPLV) and beta band task-based coherence (tbCoh) relative to baseline coherence as connectivity between EEG electrodes. Finger movements were associated with a decrease in beta power (event related desynchronization (ERD)) followed by an increase in beta power (event related resynchronization (ERS)). The ERS in the post task period was lower in the stroke group (7%), compared to controls (44%) (p < 0.001) and the transition from ERD to ERS was delayed in the stroke group (1.43s) compared to controls (0.90s) in the C3 electrode (p = 0.007). In the same post movement period, the stroke group maintained a heightened tbPLV (p = 0.030 for time to baseline of the C3:Fz electrode pair) and did not show the decrease in connectivity in electrode pair C3:Fz that was observed in controls (tbPLV: p = 0.006; tbCoh: p = 0.023). Our results suggest that delays in cortical deactivation patterns following movement coupled with changes in the time course of connectivity between the sensorimotor and frontal cortices in the stroke group might explain clinical observations of prolonged muscle activation in people with stroke. This prolonged activation might be attributed to the combination of cortical reorganization and changes to sensory feedback post-stroke.

Ecology and behaviour of the invasive lionfish Pterois miles colonizing coastal areas of the central Mediterranean

Biodiversity redistribution is occurring at an unprecedented pace, with one prominent example being the invasion of the lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Mediterranean Sea, altering the fish community composition by creating novel interspecific interactions and potentially threatening local biodiversity. Our study attempts to identify patterns in the lionfish distribution and behaviour in the coastal zone of the eastern Ionian Sea (central Mediterranean). Over a 14-month period, visual censuses were conducted along coastal strip transects at six stations, situated in three areas (Mani, Katakolo, Astakos) across a latitudinal gradient. Lionfish density was highest in Mani, the southernmost area. Higher densities were found at two stations experiencing direct anthropogenic pressures: one with structural modifications by port infrastructure, and the other in the vicinity of a fish farm, indicating a potential role of human interventions in facilitating the establishment of invasive populations. Lionfish group size was influenced by overall density, exhibiting variation between the two natural stations. Lionfish activity levels by microhabitat were site-specific, with more inactive individuals in crevices. Temporal activity patterns were similar in the natural stations, with increased activity during spring and summer months; however, temporal activity patterns were not identical in the two anthropogenic sites, suggesting that the specific nature of anthropogenic intervention might possibly influence lionfish activity. Finally, lionfish densities were not significantly different between early morning and late afternoon times of day, in agreement with the crepuscular behaviour already documented for this species.

Twenty-four-hour physical activity patterns associated with depressive symptoms: a cross-sectional study using big data-machine learning approach

BackgroundDepression is a global burden with profound personal and economic consequences. Previous studies have reported that the amount of physical activity is associated with depression. However, the relationship between the temporal patterns of physical activity and depressive symptoms is poorly understood. In this exploratory study, we hypothesize that a particular temporal pattern of daily physical activity could be associated with depressive symptoms and might be a better marker than the total amount of physical activity.MethodsTo address the hypothesis, we investigated the association between depressive symptoms and daily dominant activity behaviors based on 24-h temporal patterns of physical activity. We conducted a cross-sectional study on NHANES 2011–2012 data collected from the noninstitutionalized civilian resident population of the United States. The number of participants that had the whole set of physical activity data collected by the accelerometer is 6613. Among 6613 participants, 4242 participants had complete demography and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) questionnaire, a tool to quantify depressive symptoms. The association between activity-count behaviors and depressive symptoms was analyzed using multivariable logistic regression to adjust for confounding factors in sequential models.ResultsWe identified four physical activity-count behaviors based on five physical activity-counting patterns classified by unsupervised machine learning. Regarding PHQ-9 scores, we found that evening dominant behavior was positively associated with depressive symptoms compared to morning dominant behavior as the control group.ConclusionsOur results might contribute to monitoring and identifying individuals with latent depressive symptoms, emphasizing the importance of nuanced activity patterns and their probability of assessing depressive symptoms effectively.

Temporal Dynamics of Neural Response to Drug Cues in abstinent Methamphetamine Users.

Cue-induced craving is central to addictive disorders. Most cue-reactivity functional magnetic resonance imaging studies are analyzed statically and report averaged signals, disregarding the dynamic nature of craving and task fatigue. Accordingly, this study investigates temporal dynamics of the neural response to drug cues as a functional magnetic resonance imaging study among methamphetamine users. A total of 32 early abstinent methamphetamine users underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while viewing visual methamphetamine cues. A craving > neutral contrast was obtained in regions of interest. To explore the changes over time, the pre-processed signal was divided into three intervals. Contrast estimates were calculated within each interval, and were compared using the analysis of variance followed by the post hoc t-tests. The results were compared with those from a static analysis across all blocks. A priori expected activations in the prefrontal cortex, insula, and striatum not detected by static analysis were discovered by the dynamic analysis. Post hoc tests revealed distinct temporal activation patterns in several regions. Most patterns showed rapid activation (including both ventral/dorsal striata and most regions in the prefrontal, insular, and cingulate cortices), whereas some had delayed activation (the right anterior insula, left middle frontal gyrus, and left dorsal anterior cingulate cortex). This study provided preliminary insights into the temporal dynamicity of cue-reactivity, and the potential of a conventional blocked-design task to consider it as a simple dynamic analysis. We highlight regional activations that were only uncovered by dynamic analysis and discuss the interesting and theoretically expected early versus late regional activation patterns. Rapidly activated regions are mostly those involved in the earlier stages of cue reactivity, while regions with later activation participate in cognitive functions relevant later, such as reappraisal, interoception, and executive control.

Spatial distribution, activity patterns, and influence of roads on mammals in the Qinling Mountains of China

Abstract Species distribution and activity patterns vary across regions, and these patterns reveal key information about the biology of a given species. However, such data in Niubeiliang National Nature Reserve located in the Qinling Mountains, Shaanxi Province, China, are inadequate due to limited monitoring studies. From September 2017 to December 2019, 57 infrared cameras were installed to monitor species distribution relative to distance from National Highway 210, and spatial and temporal activity patterns in Niubeiliang National Nature Reserve (elevation range 1,100 to 2,802 m). Sixteen species of mammals were recorded in our survey. The 4 most frequently detected species were Reeves’s Muntjac (Muntiacus reevesi), Wild Boar (Sus scrofa), Pere David’s Rock Squirrel (Sciurotamias davidianus), and Golden Takin (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi). Daily patterns of these species indicated that Reeves’s muntjacs and golden takins were more active at dawn and dusk, whereas wild boars and Pere David’s rock squirrels were more active during the day. The relative abundance index of these mammals varied seasonally. Wild boars and Pere David’s rock squirrels showed no obvious preference in elevation distribution, Reeves’s muntjacs preferred low-elevation habitats (1,300 to 1,600 m), and golden takins mainly inhabited high-elevation areas (1,900 to 2,100 m). Golden takins showed obvious avoidance of roads, with avoidance distance from the road of &amp;gt;300 m. In contrast, Reeves’s muntjacs were remarkably abundant within 200 m of the road. For both wild boars and Pere David’s rock squirrels, there was no significant difference in RAI among 5 highway ranges. These findings help describe the distribution and activity patterns of these species in Qinling, to monitor their population dynamics, and to develop tailored conservation strategies for the 4 species and sympatric wildlife.

Characteristics of debris-flow-prone watersheds and debris-flow-triggering rainstorms following the Tadpole Fire, New Mexico, USA

Abstract. Moderate- or high-severity fires promote increases in runoff and erosion, leading to a greater likelihood of extreme geomorphic responses, including debris flows. In the first several years following fire, the majority of debris flows initiate when runoff rapidly entrains sediment on steep slopes. From a hazard perspective, it is important to be able to anticipate when and where watershed responses will be dominated by debris flows rather than flood flows. Rainfall intensity averaged over a 15 min duration, I15, in particular, has been identified as a key predictor of debris flow likelihood. Developing effective warning systems and predictive models for post-fire debris flow hazards therefore relies on high-temporal resolution rainfall data at the time debris flows initiate. In this study, we documented the geomorphic response of a series of watersheds following a wildfire in western New Mexico, USA, with an emphasis on constraining debris flow timing within rainstorms to better characterize debris-flow-triggering rainfall intensities. We estimated temporal changes in soil hydraulic properties and ground cover in areas burned at different severities over &gt;2 years to offer explanations for observed differences in spatial and temporal patterns in debris flow activity. We observed 16 debris flows, all of which initiated during the first several months following the fire. The average recurrence interval of the debris-flow-triggering I15 is 1.3 years, which highlights the susceptibility of recently burned watersheds to runoff-generated debris flows in this region. All but one of the debris flows initiated in watersheds burned primarily at moderate or high soil burn severity. Since soil hydraulic properties appeared to be relatively resilient to burning, we attribute reduced debris flow activity at later times to decreases in the fraction of bare ground. Results provide additional constraints on the rainfall characteristics that promote post-fire debris flow initiation in a region where fire size and severity have been increasing.

Activity of dingoes (Canis familiaris) and their use of anthropogenic resources in the Strzelecki Desert, South Australia

Context Managing human–wildlife conflict where anthropogenic resources are provided is difficult. Providing food, water and shelter can result in over-abundant dingo populations, especially in Australian desert mine sites where managing dingoes, wildlife and humans around waste-management facilities and camps is problematic. Aims To measure and characterise the spatial activities of a population of arid-zone dingoes in relation to resources provided by a Cooper Basin (Strzelecki Desert, South Australia mining operation). The results were used to facilitate effective dingo management. Methods Free-roaming dingoes were captured, their morphometrics and ectoparasite presence recorded, and they were fitted with Iridium (GPS) radio collars. These were used to collect high-fidelity data about individual dingo activity and movements in relation to mine-site infrastructure and the Cooper Basin ecosystem. Key results A high density of dingoes (181 trapped in 2 km2 per 4 years) was associated with the mining operation. Home range/activity area sizes and usage of the anthropogenic landscape showed the following three categories of dingo: desert, peripatetic and tip dingoes. Dingoes reliant on food provisioning at the waste-management facility (WMF) displayed activity areas with a strong focus on the WMF (tip dingoes). Temporal activity patterns of another group of dingoes (peripatetic dingoes) were associated with regular waste-dumping times and normal nocturnal activity away from the WMF. Of the 27 dingoes collared, 30% (i.e. desert dingoes) were not dependent on the WMF, spending more time and a greater area of use in the desert dune system than in the mine-site area. Conclusions On the basis of the capture of 181 dingoes over 4 years and home-range analysis, it is likely that anthropogenic resource provisioning has caused an overabundance of dingoes in the Cooper Basin mine site. However, some of the dingo population remains reliant on native wildlife and resources in the surrounding desert. Managing food waste and excluding dingoes from food, water and shelter will result in a change in the prevalence of dingoes in the mine site, and subsequent reduction in the risk of disease transmission, native wildlife impacts, human conflicts and social pressures on dingoes, influencing them to revert to domestic-dog behaviours. Implications Waste-management facilities where food is dumped provide resources that lead to a change in wild-dingo behaviour, on the basis of their acceptance of human-provided resources, and high abundance. Managing access to anthropogenic resources will reduce the population as well as unwanted or aggressive encounters with humans. Dingoes reliant on food scraps will be encouraged to adjust their activity areas to desert habitat, thereby providing natural hunting opportunities and reduced contact rates with conspecifics, thus potentially reducing pathogen transmission.

Midnight siesta: Bimodal temporal activity observed in an endangered marsupial predator

AbstractUnderstanding animal behavioural patterns can provide insight into how populations and communities are adapting to broader environmental shifts. The northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus), an endangered marsupial predator, has traditionally been classified as nocturnal. However, evidence is emerging that such simple classifications belie the complexity of animal activity patterns. Using time‐stamped camera trap imagery and fine‐scale accelerometer data, our study explores the diel activity patterns of northern quolls across their range in northern Australia. Contrary to the conventional nocturnal classification, we found that the northern quoll used bimodal activity patterns in four of the five populations examined in this study. Activity and accelerometer data showed two nightly movement peaks, with a distinctive lull around midnight, a pattern similar to one displayed by other marsupial predators. We found no consistent effect of season or lunar phase on temporal activity. Instead, its possible temporal activity patterns are primarily influenced by factors not accounted for here, such as prey availability, climate, predator avoidance, or energy expenditure related to digestion. We suggest further research incorporating these factors will improve our understanding of northern quoll behaviour.

Flying by the river side: Survey of bat distributions and environmental contexts along a 1000‐mile river corridor, Green and Colorado Rivers, USA

AbstractAimEmerging research shows how bioindicators, specifically bats, can serve as a means for monitoring conservation and management of riparian corridors for multiple taxonomic groups. To track changes in the composition or abundance of bioindicator species, researchers must attain a baseline in species presence and relative activity. We examined the spatial and temporal patterns of bat community composition and activity along a 1000‐mile river corridor to determine species diversity trends by latitude and habitat.LocationColorado River Basin.MethodsHere we describe the results from an acoustic bat survey conducted opportunistically on the 2019 Sesquicentennial Colorado River Exploring Expedition. This broad, 1000‐mile survey provides a baseline for species distributions over a large geographic range.ResultsIn total, we collected 63 nights of acoustic data over 70 days and recorded over 59,000 files equating to 45,363 caLL files (≥2 pulses). 18,490 (41% of caLL files) were identified as species (n = 19 bat species). We applied non‐metric multidimensional scaling to characterize spatiotemporal patterns of activity between species, as well as compared bat activity among river features and local environmental conditions (i.e., temperature and time since sunset) using an information theoretic approach.ConclusionSpecies composition varied by physiographic region and adjacent river habitat, thus providing a quantifiable measure of determining habitat quality along this major river system and providing baseline information for using bats as bioindicators of habitat quality.

Drosophila Fog/Cta and T48 pathways have overlapping and distinct contributions to mesoderm invagination.

The regulation of the cytoskeleton by multiple signaling pathways, sometimes in parallel, is a common principle of morphogenesis. A classic example of regulation by parallel pathways is Drosophila gastrulation, where the inputs from the Folded gastrulation (Fog)/Concertina (Cta) and the T48 pathways induce apical constriction and mesoderm invagination. Whether there are distinct roles for these separate pathways in regulating the complex spatial and temporal patterns of cytoskeletal activity that accompany early embryo development is still poorly understood. We investigated the roles of the Fog/Cta and T48 pathways and found that, by themselves, the Cta and T48 pathways both promote timely mesoderm invagination and apical myosin II accumulation, with Cta being required for timely cell shape change ahead of mitotic cell division. We also identified distinct functions of T48 and Cta in regulating cellularization and the uniformity of the apical myosin II network, respectively. Our results demonstrate that both redundant and distinct functions for the Fog/Cta and T48 pathways exist.

Increased late Holocene dust activity revealed by loess accumulation rates in Central Asia

Dust from the vast arid and semi-arid regions of arid Central Asia (ACA) makes a large contribution to global-scale dust cycles. However, systematic and regional-scale reconstructions of dust activity in ACA are lacking, thus hindering the exploration of its relationship with climate change. Aeolian loess deposits provide valuable records of past dust activity and its linkages to climate. We constructed a stacked, normalized dust mass accumulation rate (MAR) record from 17 loess sections with high-resolution dating, together with a probability density record based on 189 absolute ages from 39 Holocene loess sections. These records were used to reconstruct the temporal pattern of Holocene dust activity in ACA, which shows a pronounced increase during the late Holocene. After evaluating the temporal variation of moisture conditions at different altitudes in ACA, we conclude that while dust activity during the early and middle Holocene was driven predominantly by climate change, this was not the case in the late Holocene. Taking the mountain-basin system of the Yili Basin in Xinjiang as an example, we propose that dust activity on a large spatial scale was not completely controlled by changes in moisture conditions, and that regional factors, such as fluvial geomorphic processes, played an important role in increasing the materials supply to the areas of dust accumulation. We speculate that dust activity may intensify in ACA under future global warming scenarios.

Altered Motor Activity Patterns within 10-Minute Timescale Predict Incident Clinical Alzheimer's Disease.

Fractal motor activity regulation (FMAR), characterized by self-similar temporal patterns in motor activity across timescales, is robust in healthy young humans but degrades with aging and in Alzheimer's disease (AD). To determine the timescales where alterations of FMAR can best predict the clinical onset of AD. FMAR was assessed from actigraphy at baseline in 1,077 participants who had annual follow-up clinical assessments for up to 15 years. Survival analysis combined with deep learning (DeepSurv) was used to examine how baseline FMAR at different timescales from 3 minutes up to 6 hours contributed differently to the risk for incident clinical AD. Clinical AD occurred in 270 participants during the follow-up. DeepSurv identified three potential regions of timescales in which FMAR alterations were significantly linked to the risk for clinical AD: <10, 20-40, and 100-200 minutes. Confirmed by the Cox and random survival forest models, the effect of FMAR alterations in the timescale of <10 minutes was the strongest, after adjusting for covariates. Subtle changes in motor activity fluctuations predicted the clinical onset of AD, with the strongest association observed in activity fluctuations at timescales <10 minutes. These findings suggest that short actigraphy recordings may be used to assess the risk of AD.

Investigating the impact of external load on muscle synergies during bipedal squats

PurposeA broad functional movement repertoire is crucial for engaging in physical activity and reducing the risk of injury, both of which are central aspects of lifelong health. As a fundamental exercise in both recreational and rehabilitative training regimes, the bipedal squat (SQBp) incorporates many everyday movement patterns. Crucially, SQBp can only be considered functional if the practitioner can meet the coordinative demands. Many factors affect coordinative aspects of an exercise, most notably external load. Since compound movements are assumed to be organized in a synergistic manner, we employed muscle synergy analysis to examine differences in muscle synergy properties between various external load levels during SQBp.MethodsTen healthy male recreational athletes were enrolled in the present study. Each participant performed three sets of ten SQBp on a smith machine at three submaximal load levels (50%, 62.5%, and 75% of 3 repetition maximum) across three non-consecutive days. Muscle activity was recorded from 12 prime movers of SQBp by way of electromyography (EMG). Muscle synergies were analyzed in terms of temporal activation patterns, i.e., waveform, as well as the relative input of each muscle into individual synergies, i.e., weight contribution.ResultsWaveforms of muscle synergies did not differ between loads. Weight contributions showed significant differences between load levels, albeit only for the gastrocnemius muscle in a single synergy.ConclusionTaken together, our results imply mostly stable spatiotemporal composition of muscle activity during SQBp, underlining the importance of technical competence during compound movement performance in athletic and rehabilitative settings.

Activity patterns of domestic dogs and native terrestrial mammals in the Tapacurá Ecological Station, Brazil

Domestic dogs are a threat to biodiversity. We evaluated the activity patterns of domestic dogs and terrestrial mammals in a patch of Atlantic forest in northeastern Brazil. We expected native mammals to change their temporal pattern of activity in the presence of domestic dogs. We installed 16 camera traps in 2019 (January-March) and 16 cameras in 2021 (February-April), with a total effort effort of 640 trap days. We classified the activity of the species as diurnal, cathemeral, nocturnal and crepuscular. We found 274 records of 11 mammal species and overlapping activity between domestic dogs and terrestrial mammals. Coatis and agoutis were strictly diurnal in both years, while domestic dogs presented a catemanal activity pattern in 2021. Aguties and domestic dogs presented a uniform pattern, but coatis did not. Although our findings suggest a limited influence of domestic dogs on terrestrial mammals, vaccination or sterilization programs should be implemented to avoid an increase in the negative impact of dogs on native fauna.

Temporal patterns of osteoclast formation and activity following withdrawal of RANKL inhibition.

Rebound bone loss following denosumab discontinuation is an important clinical challenge. Current treatment strategies to prevent this fail to suppress the rise and overshoot in osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. In this study, we use a murine model of denosumab treatment and discontinuation to show the temporal changes in osteoclast formation and activity during RANKL inhibition and withdrawal. We show that the cellular processes that drive the formation of osteoclasts and subsequent bone resorption following withdrawal of RANKL inhibition precede the rebound bone loss. Furthermore, a rise in serum TRAP and RANKL levels is detected before markers of bone turnover used in current clinical practice. These mechanistic advances may provide insight into a more defined window of opportunity to intervene with sequential therapy following denosumab discontinuation.

Functional subtypes of synaptic dynamics in mouse and human

Synapses preferentially respond to particular temporal patterns of activity with a large degree of heterogeneity that is informally or tacitly separated into classes. Yet, the precise number and properties of such classes are unclear. Do they exist on a continuum and, if so, when is it appropriate to divide that continuum into functional regions? In a large dataset of glutamatergic cortical connections, we perform model-based characterization to infer the number and characteristics of functionally distinct subtypes of synaptic dynamics. In rodent data, we find five clusters that partially converge with transgenic-associated subtypes. Strikingly, the application of the same clustering method in human data infers a highly similar number of clusters, supportive of stable clustering. This nuanced dictionary of functional subtypes shapes the heterogeneity of cortical synaptic dynamics and provides a lens into the basic motifs of information transmission in the brain.

Stride-to-stride fluctuations and temporal patterns of muscle activity exhibit similar responses during walking to variable visual cues

Incorporating variability within gait retraining approaches has been proposed and shown to lead to positive changes. Specifically, submitting the individuals to walk in synchrony to cues that are temporally organized with a fractal-like patterns, promotes changes at the stride-to-stride fluctuations closer to those typically find in young adults. However, there is still a need to understand the underlying neuromuscular mechanisms associated to such improvement. Thus, this study aimed to investigate whether changes in the temporal structure of the variability in gait patterns are accompanied by changes in muscle activity patterns. Fourteen young individuals walked synchronized to one uncued (UNC) and three cued conditions: isochronous (ISO), fractal (FRC) and random (RND). Inter-stride intervals were determined from an accelerometer placed on the lateral malleoli. Inter-muscle peak intervals were obtained from the electromyographic signal from the gastrocnemius muscle. Fractal scaling, obtained through detrended fluctuation analysis, and coefficient of variation were calculated. Repeated measures ANOVAs were used to identify differences between conditions. Significant main effect was observed for both fractal scaling and coefficient of variation. Both shown no differences between UNC and FRC conditions, while ISO and RND were significantly lower compared to UNC and FRC conditions. In addition, a Pearson’s Correlation was used to test the correlation between variables. A strong correlation was found the temporal structure of gait and muscle activity patterns. These findings strengthen the current literature regarding the incorporation of variability within cued approaches. Specifically, it shows that such an approach allows the modification of the neuromuscular processes underlying the stride-to-stride fluctuations.