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Comparative Study
. 2014 Jul;40(3):415-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2014.05.062. Epub 2014 Jun 11.

A comparison of two walking while talking paradigms in aging

Clara Li  1 , Joe Verghese  2 , Roee Holtzer  3
Affiliations
Comparative Study

A comparison of two walking while talking paradigms in aging

Clara Li et al. Gait Posture. 2014 Jul.

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.

Keywords: Attention; Dual-task; Elderly; Walking; Walking while talking.

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