The interacting effects of treadmill walking and different types of visuospatial cognitive task: Discriminating dual task and age effects. (November 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Nankar, Mayur; Szturm, Tony; Marotta, Jonathan; Shay, Barbara; Beauchet, Olivier; Allali, Gilles
• Is Part Of: Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. Volume 73(2017)
• Page Start: 50
• Page End: 59
• Publication Date: 2017-11
• Subjects: Aging -- Dual-task -- Treadmill walking -- Visuospatial processing -- Executive functions -- Computerized assessment; Aging -- Periodicals; Geriatrics -- Periodicals; Gerontology -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 305.26
• DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2017.07.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0167-4943

Abstract

Highlights: Computer game based treadmill platform expands objective motor-cognitive testing. Important to determine level of cognitive engagement and strategies used during DT. Visuospatial cognitive tasks have differential effect on gait in young and old. Abstract: Objective: The objective of this study is to examine the influence that visuospatial cognitive tasks have on gait function during DT treadmill walking, and as a function of age. Conversely, to examine the influence that walking has on executive functions involving visuospatial processing. Methods: Twenty-five young (26 ± 6.1 years) and 25 older adults (76 ± 3.9) performed different types of computerized visuomotor (VM) tracking and visuospatial cognitive tasks (VCG) while standing and treadmill walking. Spatiotemporal gait variables, average values and co-efficient of variation (COV) were obtained from 40 consecutive steps during single- and dual-task walk trials. Performance-based measures of the VM and VCG task were obtained during standing and walking. Results: VM dual-task walking had a significant effect on gait measures in the young age group (YG), but no DT effect was observed in the old age group (OG). Visuomotor tracking performance, however, was significantly reduced in the OG as compared to the YG when tested in both standing and walking. The opposite was true for VCG; a significant DT effect on gait performance was observed in the OG, but no DT effect was observed in the YG. Success rate of the VCG task decreased during walking, but only for OG. Conclusion: Controlling gait speed and objective evaluation of the visuospatial cognitive tasks helps to determine the level of engagement in the DT tasks. This is important in order to determine the strategies used during the DT test protocols, i.e. cross-domain interference.