DUAL-TASK-WALK PERFORMANCE AND USUAL GAIT PATTERNS IN HEALTHY OLDER ADULTS – RESULTS FROM THE BLSA

Abstract Objective The objective of this study is to provide normative data for a tablet-based dual-task assessment in older adults without cognitive deficits. Method In total, 264 participants aged between 60 and 90 years, French and English-speaking, were asked to perform two discrimination tasks, alone and concurrently. The participants had to answer as fast as possible to one or two images appearing in the center of the tablet by pressing to the corresponding buttons. Normative data are provided for reaction time (RT), coefficient of variation, and accuracy. Analyses of variance were performed by trial types (single-pure, single-mixed, dual-mixed), and linear regressions assessed the relationship between performance and sociodemographic characteristics. Results The participants were highly educated and a large proportion of them were women (73.9%). The accuracy on the task was very high across all blocks. RT data revealed both a task-set cost and a dual-task cost between the blocks. Age was associated with slower RT and with higher coefficient of variability. Men were significantly slower on dual-mixed trials, but their coefficient of variability was lower on single-pure trials. Education was not associated with performance. Conclusions This study provides normative data for a tablet-based dual-task assessment in older adults without cognitive impairment, which was lacking. All participants completed the task with good accuracy in less than 15 minutes and thus, the task is transferable to clinical and research settings.

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Dual-Task Decrements in Gait: Contributing Factors Among Healthy Older Adults

The Journals of Gerontology Series A ◽

10.1093/gerona/63.12.1335 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 63 (12) ◽

pp. 1335-1343 ◽

Cited By ~ 238

Author(s):

J. M. Hausdorff ◽

A. Schweiger ◽

T. Herman ◽

G. Yogev-Seligmann ◽

N. Giladi

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Dual Task ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Healthy Older Adults

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Texting While Walking Induces Gait Pattern Alterations in Healthy Older Adults

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/1541931218621433 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 62 (1) ◽

pp. 1908-1912 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Massimiliano Pau ◽

Micaela Porta ◽

Giuseppina Pilloni ◽

Federica Corona ◽

Maria Chiara Fastame ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Cognitive Complexity ◽

Gait Pattern ◽

Middle Aged ◽

Similar Reduction ◽

Gait Patterns ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Double Support ◽

Temporal Parameters ◽

Spatio Temporal

The use of a mobile phone for texting purposes results in distracted walking which may lead to injuries. In particular, texting while walking has been shown to induce significant alterations in gait patterns. This study aimed to assess whether changes in the main spatio-temporal parameters of gait when simultaneously engaged in texting on a smartphone and walking are different in older adults relative to young and middle- aged individuals. A total of 57 participants divided in three groups (19 older adults aged over 65, 19 young aged 20-40 and 19 middle-aged aged 41-64) were tested in two conditions: walking, and walking while texting on a smartphone. Spatio-temporal parameters of gait were assessed using a wearable accelerometer located on the lower back. The results show that texting induced similar reduction of gait speed, stride length and cadence in all groups. Slight (although significant) alterations of stance, swing and double support phases duration were found only for middle-aged participants. Such findings suggest that modifications of gait patterns due to texting seem unaffected by age, probably due to different perceptions of the cognitive complexity of the task and differential prioritization of its motor and cognitive aspects.

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Effects of tDCS of Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex on Dual-Task Performance Involving Manual Dexterity and Cognitive Task in Healthy Older Adults

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2019.00144 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Milos R. Ljubisavljevic ◽

Joji Oommen ◽

Sasa Filipovic ◽

Jovana Bjekic ◽

Miklos Szolics ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Task Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Manual Dexterity ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Dual Task Performance ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal

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Effects of exergames and cognitive-motor dual-task training on cognitive, physical and dual-task functions in cognitively healthy older adults: An overview

Ageing Research Reviews ◽

10.1016/j.arr.2020.101135 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 63 ◽

pp. 101135 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. Gallou-Guyot ◽

S. Mandigout ◽

L. Bherer ◽

A. Perrochon

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Dual Task ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Task Training ◽

Dual Task Training

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Effects of Cognitive and Physical Loads on Dynamic and Static Balance Performance of Healthy Older Adults Under Single-, Dual-, and Multi-task Conditions

Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ◽

10.1177/0018720820924626 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 001872082092462

Author(s):

Hamid Allahverdipour ◽

Iman Dianat ◽

Galavizh Mameh ◽

Mohammad Asghari Jafarabadi

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Dual Task ◽

Dynamic Balance ◽

Static Balance ◽

Balance Performance ◽

Timed Up And Go ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Physical Task ◽

Task Conditions ◽

And Control

Objective The aim of this study is to examine the effects of cognitive and physical loads on dynamic and static balance performance of healthy older adults under single-, dual-, and multi-task conditions. Background Previous studies on postural control in older adults have generally used dual-task methodology, whereas less attention has been paid to multi-task performance, despite its importance in many daily and occupational activities. Method The effects of single versus combined (dual-task and multi-task) cognitive (to speak out the name of the weekdays in a reverse order) and physical (with three levels including handling weights of 1, 2, and 3 kg in each hand) loads on dynamic and static balance performance of 42 older adults (21 males and 21 females) aged ≥60 years were examined. Dynamic and static balance measures were evaluated using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) and stabilometer (sway index) tests, respectively. Results The TUG speed of female participants was generally slower than that of male participants. Age had no effect on balance performance measures. Under dual-task conditions, cognitive load decreased the dynamic balance performance, while the physical task levels had no effect. The dual-task conditions had no impact on the static balance performance. The effects of cognitive and physical loads on dynamic balance performance varied under dual- and multi-task conditions. Conclusion The findings highlight differences between dual- and multi-task protocols and add to the understanding of balance performance in older adults under cognitive and physical loads. Application The present study highlights differences between dual- and multi-task methodologies that need to be considered in future studies of balance and control in older adults.

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Effects of motor and cognitive dual-task performance in depressive elderly, healthy older adults, and healthy young individuals

Dementia & Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1590/s1980-57642011dn05030007 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 198-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Helena Moraes ◽

Andrea Deslandes ◽

Heitor Silveira ◽

Cynthia Arcoverde ◽

Heloisa Alve ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Task Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Cycle Ergometer ◽

Memory Test ◽

Maximal Heart Rate ◽

Healthy Older Adults ◽

Cycle Ergometer Exercise ◽

Ergometer Exercise ◽

Dual Task Performance

Abstract Impairments in dual-task performance can be observed in healthy older adults when motor and cognitive assignments are applied simultaneously. According to the hypofrontality hypothesis, there may be a reduction in frontal cognitive function during exercise. Objective: The aim of the present study was to compare the performance changes on cognitive tests of depressive elderly (n=10), healthy older adults (n=10), and healthy young individuals (n=10) during cycle ergometer exercise. Methods: The groups were submitted to a working memory test, a short memory test and a semantic memory test, before and during a 20-minute cycle ergometer exercise at 80% of their age-predicted maximal heart rate. Results: Significant differences (p=0.04) were observed in scores on the digit backward test during exercise when young individuals were compared to healthy older adults. This result indicates that young subjects, as expected, had better performance than elderly. No significant differences were found among the groups for the digit forward subtest (p=0.40) or the vocabulary test (p=0.69). Conclusion: Data from this study showed that healthy older adults had impaired performance on higher cognitive tasks when these assignments were applied together with motor tasks.

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