Dual-Task Interference in a Simulated Driving Environment: Serial or Parallel Processing?

When humans are required to perform two or more tasks concurrently, their performance declines as the tasks get closer together in time. Here, we investigated the mechanisms of this cognitive performance decline using a dual-task paradigm in a simulated driving environment, and using drift-diffusion modeling, examined if the two tasks are processed in a serial or a parallel manner. Participants performed a lane change task, along with an image discrimination task. We systematically varied the time difference between the onset of the two tasks (Stimulus Onset Asynchrony, SOA) and measured its effect on the amount of dual-task interference. Results showed that the reaction times (RTs) of the two tasks in the dual-task condition were higher than those in the single-task condition. SOA influenced the RTs of both tasks when they were presented second and the RTs of the image discrimination task when it was presented first. Results of drift-diffusion modeling indicated that dual-task performance affects both the rate of evidence accumulation and the delays outside the evidence accumulation period. These results suggest that a hybrid model containing features of both parallel and serial processing best accounts for the results. Next, manipulating the predictability of the order of the two tasks, we showed that in unpredictable conditions, the order of the response to the two tasks changes, causing attenuation in the effect of SOA. Together, our findings suggest higher-level executive functions are involved in managing the resources and controlling the processing of the tasks during dual-task performance in naturalistic settings.

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Dual-task Interference in a Simulated Driving Environment: Serial or Parallel Processing?

10.1101/853119 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Mojtaba Abbas-Zadeh ◽

Gholam-Ali Hossein-Zadeh ◽

Maryam Vaziri-Pashkam

Keyword(s):

Task Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Task Condition ◽

Desktop Computer ◽

Task Interference ◽

Dual Task Condition ◽

Simulated Driving ◽

Evidence Accumulation ◽

Dual Task Performance ◽

Dual Task Interference

AbstractWhen humans are required to perform two tasks concurrently, their performances decrease as the two tasks get closer together in time. This effect is known as dual-task interference. This limitation of the human brain could have lethal effects during demanding everyday tasks such as driving. Are the two tasks processed serially or in parallel during dual-task performance in naturalistic settings? Here, we investigated dual-task interference in a simulated driving environment and investigated the serial/parallel nature of processing during dual-task performance. Participants performed a lane change task on a desktop computer, along with an image discrimination task. We systematically varied the time difference between the onset of the two tasks (Stimulus Onset Asynchrony, SOA) and measured its effect on the amount of dual-task interference. Results showed that the reaction times (RTs) of two tasks in the dual-task condition were higher than those in the single-task condition. SOA influenced RTs of both tasks when they were presented second and the RTs of the image task when it was presented first. Manipulating the predictability of the order of the two tasks, we showed that unpredictability attenuated the effect of SOA by changing the order of the response to the two tasks. Next, using drift-diffusion modeling, we modeled the reaction time and choice of the subjects during dual-task performance in both predictable and unpredictable task order conditions. The modeling results indicated that performing two tasks concurrently, affects both the rate of evidence accumulation and the delays outside the evidence accumulation period, suggesting that the two tasks are performed in a partial-parallel manner. These results extend the findings of previous dual-task experiments to more naturalistic settings and deepen our understanding of the mechanisms of dual-task interference.

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Dual Task Interference During Gait in People With Parkinson Disease: Effects of Motor Versus Cognitive Secondary Tasks

Physical Therapy ◽

10.1093/ptj/82.9.888 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 82 (9) ◽

pp. 888-897 ◽

Cited By ~ 234

Author(s):

Simone O'Shea ◽

Meg E Morris ◽

Robert Iansek

Keyword(s):

Task Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Secondary Task ◽

Stride Length ◽

Gait Cycle ◽

Comparison Group ◽

Task Interference ◽

Dual Task Performance ◽

The Mean ◽

Dual Task Interference

Abstract Background and Purpose. Exacerbation of movement disorders while doing 2 tasks (dual task performance) is a characteristic feature of Parkinson disease (PD). The aim of this investigation was to identify whether the type of secondary task (motor or cognitive) determined the severity of dual task interference. Subjects and Methods. Footstep patterns for 15 people with PD and 15 comparison subjects without PD were compared when they walked: (1) at a self-selected speed, (2) while simultaneously performing a motor task (coin transference), and (3) while simultaneously performing a cognitive task (digit subtraction). Gait speed, stride length, cadence, and the percentage of the gait cycle in double-limb stance (DS) were examined with a computerized stride analyzer. Results. When there was no second task, the mean stride length was less in the group with PD (1.29 m) than in the comparison group (1.51 m), and the mean gait speed was less in the group with PD (71.47 m/min) than in the comparison group (87.29 m/min). The mean cadence was less in the group with PD (110.79 steps/min) than in the comparison group (115.81 steps/min). The percentage of the gait cycle in DS was greater in the group with PD (33.38%) than in the comparison group (31.21%). Both groups reduced their stride length and speed when they had to change from unitask performance to dual task performance and DS increased. For the group with PD, cadence also decreased. For both groups, the type of secondary task had a negligible effect on the performance decrement. Discussion and Conclusion. Although the performance of simultaneous motor or cognitive tasks compromised gait in people with PD, the type of secondary task was not a major determinant of the severity of dual task interference.

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Measuring Attentional Demand in Continuous Dual-task Performance

The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology Section A ◽

10.1080/713755737 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 821-840 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Patrick A. Bourke

Keyword(s):

Task Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Alternative Possibility ◽

Interval Scale ◽

Attentional Demand ◽

Attentional Demands ◽

Intuitive Appeal ◽

Dual Task Performance ◽

General Limit ◽

Dual Task Interference

Despite its intuitive appeal, the commonly held assumption that there is some general limitation on dual-task performance has been shown to be seriously flawed (Allport 1980; Navon 1984). Central to this has been the inability to measure the attentional demands of tasks, without which there is no way to determine whether their joint demands exceed the hypothetical general limit. In the absence of such a measure, dual-task interference can always be explained by the alternative possibility that specific interference has occurred. A method is described in which the attentional demands of tasks can be measured and cross validated by the use of two scales. Two experiments are described in which a general attentional limit is found; the measurement of attentional demand is consistent across scales and can be made at a level of precision approximating that of an interval scale.

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Dual Task Interference in Parkinson’s Disease

US Neurology ◽

10.17925/usn.2009.05.01.30 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 05 (01) ◽

pp. 30 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Tao Wu ◽

Mark Hallett ◽

◽

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Dual Task ◽

Human Life ◽

Normal Subjects ◽

Neural Correlates ◽

Task Interference ◽

Attentional Resources ◽

Dual Task Performance ◽

Dual Task Interference

Performing two tasks simultaneously (dual task performance) is a frequent activity in human life. Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) commonly have more difficulty in performing dual tasks than healthy people. To date, research on the mechanisms of dual task interference in PD remains sparse. A recent study by Wu and Hallett in 2008 investigated the central neural correlates of dual task interference in PD, and demonstrated that dual task interference in PD is due to multiple reasons. First, the limitation of capacity of attentional resources is exceeded; second, PD patients perform tasks less automatically compared with normal subjects; and third, the central executive may be defective. However, our knowledge of this phenomenon is still far from complete and needs further investigation.

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Localization of Executive Functions in Dual-Task Performance with fMRI

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience ◽

10.1162/089892902760807195 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 14 (8) ◽

pp. 1184-1199 ◽

Cited By ~ 209

Author(s):

André J. Szameitat ◽

Torsten Schubert ◽

Karsten Müller ◽

D. Yves von Cramon

Keyword(s):

Executive Functions ◽

Task Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Task Difficulty ◽

Task Condition ◽

Subtraction Method ◽

Dual Task Condition ◽

Single Task ◽

Dual Task Performance ◽

Task Conditions

We report a study that investigated the neuroanatomical correlates of executive functions in dual-task performance with functional magnetic resonance imaging. Participants performed an auditory and a visual three-choice reaction task either separately as single tasks or concurrently as dual tasks. In the dual-task condition, two stimuli were presented in rapid succession to ensure interference between the component tasks (psychological refractory period). The behavioral data showed considerable performance decrements in the dual-task compared to the single-task condition. Dual-task-related activation was detected with two different neuroimaging methods. First, we determined dual-task-related activation according to the method of cognitive subtraction. For that purpose, activation in the dual-task was compared directly with activation in the single-task conditions. This analysis revealed that cortical areas along the inferior frontal sulcus (IFS), the middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and the intraparietal sulcus (IPS) are involved in dual-task performance. The results of the subtraction method were validated with the method of parametric manipulation. For this purpose, a second dual-task condition was introduced, where the difficulty of the dual-task coordination was increased compared with the first dual-task condition. As expected, behavioral dual-task performance decreased with increased dual-task difficulty. Furthermore, the increased dual-task difficulty led to an increase of activation in those cortical regions that proved to be dual-task related with the subtraction method, that is, the IFS, the MFG, and the IPS. These results support the conclusion that dorsolateral prefrontal and superior parietal cortices are involved in the coordination of concurrent and interfering task processing.

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The Effects of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation on Dual-Task Interference Depend on the Dual-Task Content

Frontiers in Human Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnhum.2021.653713 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

Author(s):

Takehide Kimura ◽

Fuminari Kaneko ◽

Takashi Nagamine

Keyword(s):

Dual Task ◽

Anodal Tdcs ◽

Task Condition ◽

Task Interference ◽

Dual Tasks ◽

Dual Task Condition ◽

Left Dlpfc ◽

Word Task ◽

Dual Task Interference ◽

Task Content

Recently, some studies revealed that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) reduces dual-task interference. Since there are countless combinations of dual-tasks, it remains unclear whether stable effects by tDCS can be observed on dual-task interference. An aim of the present study was to investigate whether the effects of tDCS on dual-task interference change depend on the dual-task content. We adopted two combinations of dual-tasks, i.e., a word task while performing a tandem task (word-tandem dual-task) and a classic Stroop task while performing a tandem task (Stroop-tandem dual-task). We expected that the Stroop task would recruit the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and require involvement of executive function to greater extent than the word task. Subsequently, we hypothesized that anodal tDCS over the DLPFC would improve executive function and result in more effective reduction of dual-task interference in the Stroop-tandem dual-task than in the word-tandem dual-task. Anodal or cathodal tDCS was applied over the DLPFC or the supplementary motor area using a constant current of 2.0 mA for 20 min. According to our results, dual-task interference and the task performances of each task under the single-task condition were not changed after applying any settings of tDCS. However, anodal tDCS over the left DLPFC significantly improved the word task performance immediately after tDCS under the dual-task condition. Our findings suggested that the effect of anodal tDCS over the left DLPFC varies on the task performance under the dual-task condition was changed depending on the dual-task content.

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Dual Task Interference in Parkinson's Disease

European Neurological Review ◽

10.17925/enr.2009.04.02.34 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 34 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tao Wu ◽

Mark Hallett ◽

◽

Keyword(s):

Parkinson’S Disease ◽

Parkinson's Disease ◽

Dual Task ◽

Human Life ◽

Normal Subjects ◽

Neural Correlates ◽

Task Interference ◽

Attentional Resources ◽

Dual Task Performance ◽

Dual Task Interference

Performing two tasks simultaneously (dual task performance) is a frequent activity in human life. Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) commonly have more difficulty performing dual tasks than healthy people. To date, research on the mechanisms of dual task interference in PD remains sparse. A recent study by Wu and Hallett in 2008 investigated the central neural correlates of dual task interference in PD, and demonstrated that dual task interference in PD is due to multiple reasons. First, the limitation of capacity of attentional resources is exceeded; second, PD patients perform tasks less automatically compared with normal subjects; and third, the central executive may be defective. However, our knowledge of this phenomenon is still far from complete and needs further investigation.

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Neuroimaging, Behavioral, and Gait Correlates of Fall Profile in Older Adults

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience ◽

10.3389/fnagi.2021.630049 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 ◽

Author(s):

Krystal M. Kirby ◽

Sreekrishna Pillai ◽

Robert M. Brouillette ◽

Jeffrey N. Keller ◽

Alyssa N. De Vito ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Task Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Community Dwelling ◽

Finger Tapping ◽

Task Condition ◽

Dual Task Condition ◽

Brain Functioning ◽

Dual Task Performance

Prior research has suggested that measurements of brain functioning and performance on dual tasks (tasks which require simultaneous performance) are promising candidate predictors of fall risk among older adults. However, no prior study has investigated whether brain function measurements during dual task performance could improve prediction of fall risks and whether the type of subtasks used in the dual task paradigm affects the strength of the association between fall characteristics and dual task performance. In this study, 31 cognitively normal, community-dwelling older adults provided a self-reported fall profile (number of falls and fear of falling), completed a gait dual task (spell a word backward while walking on a GaitRite mat), and completed a supine dual task (rhythmic finger tapping with one hand while completing the AX continuous performance task (AX-CPT) with the other hand) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Gait performance, AX-CPT reaction time and accuracy, finger tapping cadence, and brain functioning in finger-tapping-related and AX-CPT-related brain regions all showed declines in the dual task condition compared to the single task condition. Dual-task gait, AX-CPT and finger tapping performance, and brain functioning were all independent predictors of fall profile. No particular measurement domain stood out as being the most strongly associated measure with fall variables. Fall characteristics are determined by multiple factors; brain functioning, motor task, and cognitive task performance in challenging dual-task conditions all contribute to the risk of falling.

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Adjustment of cognitive control to the frequency of dual-task interference

10.31234/osf.io/d3x68 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Michal Olszanowski ◽

Natalia Szostak

Keyword(s):

Task Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Secondary Task ◽

Control Experiment ◽

Task Demands ◽

Primary Task ◽

Control Mechanisms ◽

Dual Task Performance ◽

High Level ◽

Dual Task Interference

This study explored whether the control mechanisms recruited for optimising performance are similar for dual-task and interference-task settings. We tested whether the frequency of appearance of a secondary task resulted in an adjustment of anticipatory and reflexive forms of attentional control, as has been observed with other interference tasks (e.g. stroop and flanker). The results of two experiments demonstrated a proportion congruency effect (PCE): when a secondary task frequently appeared, primary task performance was slower. Additionally, there was a relative slowdown of dual-task performance in blocks wherein the secondary task appeared infrequently compared to blocks wherein it appeared frequently. However, this slowdown occurred when the primary task entailed a low level of control (Experiment 1) but was absent when it demanded a high level of control (Experiment 2). Overall, the results suggest that level of control can be adjusted to task demands related to the frequency of the secondary task.

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Balance performance maintained during dual-task condition with a cognitive task across menstrual cycle

Neurology ◽

10.1212/01.wnl.0000550632.95899.61 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 91 (23 Supplement 1) ◽

pp. S6.1-S6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Meng Ni ◽

Joseph Hazzard ◽

Pamela Smith

Keyword(s):

Menstrual Cycle ◽

Task Performance ◽

Dual Task ◽

Cognitive Task ◽

Task Condition ◽

Balance Performance ◽

Dual Task Condition ◽

Single Task ◽

Dual Task Performance ◽

Task Conditions

BackgroundDual-task, performing a balance task and a cognitive task simultaneously, has been used as sport-related concussion assessment tool. However, the effect of dual task on balance performance remains controversial. Also, the fluctuation of hormone across menstrual cycle on balance and dual-task performance has not been fully examined.ObjectiveTo examine (1) the effect of dual task on balance performance, (2) the interaction of female sex hormonal level, balance, and dual-task performance.DesignA cohort study.SettingA laboratory of concussion research and services.ParticipantsA group of 49 healthy female college-aged students (age = 21.6 ± 2.0 years).Main outcome measuresThe Stability Evaluation Test (SET) protocol, Balance error scoring system (BESS) test and postural sway velocity (deg/sec) by using VSR SPORT force plate. Three auditory mathematics questions were given for each condition of the SET test. Two single-task conditions were provided, including balance only and math only. Balance test and math questions were given simultaneously during the dual-task condition.ResultsThere was no significantly statistically difference in BESS or sway velocity between single and dual task. However, the performance of math calculation is better in dual-task comparing to the single task (math only), with an 8%–12% higher rate of accuracy, but it didn't reach a statistical significance. The rate of accuracy during the dual task didn't vary among menstrual phases.ConclusionsBalance performance was maintained under dual-task conditions and fluctuation of female sex hormones across the menstrual cycle may not affect working memory and executive function. These findings are potentially clinically applicable to detecting balance deficits and cognitive alterations in female concussed individuals. Future studies are needed to investigate the underlying mechanism of balance maintenance and attention dividend under dual-task conditions.

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