Clara Li1, Joe Verghese2, Roee Holtzer3. 1. Clinical Psychology Health Emphasis, Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Yeshiva University, United States. 2. Saul R. Korey Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, United States. 3. Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology, Department of Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Yeshiva University, United States. Electronic address: roee.holtzer@einstein.yu.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to [1] compare dual-task costs in gait and cognitive performance during two dual-task paradigms: walking while reciting alternate letters of the alphabet (WWR) and walking while counting backward by sevens (WWC); [2] examine the relationship between the gait and cognitive interference tasks when performed concurrently. SCOPE: Gait and cognitive performance were tested in 217 non-demented older adults (mean age 76 ± 8.8 years; 56.2% female) under single and dual-task conditions. Velocity (cm/s) was obtained using an instrumented walkway. Cognitive performance was assessed using accuracy ratio: [correct responses]/[total responses]. Linear mixed effects models revealed significant dual-task costs, with slower velocity (p < .01) and decreased accuracy ratio (p < .01) in WWR and WWC compared to their respective single task conditions. Greater dual-task costs in velocity (p < .01) were observed in WWC compared to WWR. Pearson correlations revealed significant and positive relationships between gait and cognitive performance in WWR and WWC (p < .01); increased accuracy ratio was associated with faster velocity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that dual-task costs in gait increase as the complexity of the cognitive task increases. Furthermore, the positive association between the gait and cognitive tasks suggest that dual-task performance was not influenced by task prioritization strategies in this sample.
BACKGROUND: Our study aimed to [1] compare dual-task costs in gait and cognitive performance during two dual-task paradigms: walking while reciting alternate letters of the alphabet (WWR) and walking while counting backward by sevens (WWC); [2] examine the relationship between the gait and cognitive interference tasks when performed concurrently. SCOPE: Gait and cognitive performance were tested in 217 non-demented older adults (mean age 76 ± 8.8 years; 56.2% female) under single and dual-task conditions. Velocity (cm/s) was obtained using an instrumented walkway. Cognitive performance was assessed using accuracy ratio: [correct responses]/[total responses]. Linear mixed effects models revealed significant dual-task costs, with slower velocity (p < .01) and decreased accuracy ratio (p < .01) in WWR and WWC compared to their respective single task conditions. Greater dual-task costs in velocity (p < .01) were observed in WWC compared to WWR. Pearson correlations revealed significant and positive relationships between gait and cognitive performance in WWR and WWC (p < .01); increased accuracy ratio was associated with faster velocity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested that dual-task costs in gait increase as the complexity of the cognitive task increases. Furthermore, the positive association between the gait and cognitive tasks suggest that dual-task performance was not influenced by task prioritization strategies in this sample.
Authors: Joe Verghese; Herman Buschke; Lisa Viola; Mindy Katz; Charles Hall; Gail Kuslansky; Richard Lipton Journal: J Am Geriatr Soc Date: 2002-09 Impact factor: 5.562