Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2015 Jul;39(3):142-53.
doi: 10.1097/NPT.0000000000000090.

Motor-Cognitive Dual-Task Training in Persons With Neurologic Disorders: A Systematic Review

Nora E Fritz  1 , Fern M Cheek, Deborah S Nichols-Larsen
Affiliations

Motor-Cognitive Dual-Task Training in Persons With Neurologic Disorders: A Systematic Review

Nora E Fritz et al. J Neurol Phys Ther. 2015 Jul.

Abstract

Background and purpose: Deficits in motor-cognitive dual tasks (eg, walking while talking) are common in individuals with neurologic conditions. This review was conducted to determine the effectiveness of motor-cognitive dual-task training (DTT) compared with usual care on mobility and cognition in individuals with neurologic disorders.

Methods: Databases searched were Biosis, CINAHL, ERIC, PsychInfo, EBSCO Psychological & Behavioral, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Knowledge. Eligibility criteria were studies of adults with neurologic disorders that included DTT, and outcomes of gait or balance were included. Fourteen studies met inclusion criteria. Participants were subjects with brain injury, Parkinson disease (PD), and Alzheimer disease (AD). Intervention protocols included cued walking, cognitive tasks paired with gait, balance, and strength training and virtual reality or gaming. Quality of the included trials was evaluated with a standardized rating scale of clinical relevance.

Results: Results show that DTT improves single-task gait velocity and stride length in subjects with PD and AD, dual-task gait velocity and stride length in subjects with PD, AD, and brain injury, and may improve balance and cognition in those with PD and AD. The inclusion criteria of the studies reviewed limited the diagnostic groups included.

Discussion and conclusions: While the range of training protocols and outcome assessments in available studies limited comparison of the results across studies motor-cognitive dual-task deficits in individuals with neurologic disorders appears to be amenable to training. Improvement of dual-task ability in individuals with neurologic disorders holds potential for improving gait, balance, and cognition.Video Abstract available for additional insights from the authors (Supplemental Digital Content, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A104).

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors have no conflicts to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Search strategy flowchart
Figure 2
Figure 2
Treatment effects for dual-task (DT) training versus comparison treatments for all trials with full data sets. Treatment effects favoring DT training assigned positive Hedges standardized mean difference (SMD) values. Mean changes were used in the case of repeated measures data and mean differences were used for clinical trials data. Berg Balance Scale (BBS); Dual-task cost (DTC); dual-task (DT); Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB); single-task (ST).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

References

    1. Yogev-Seligmann G, Hausdorff J, Giladi N. The role of executive function and attention in gait. Movement Disord. 2008;23(3):329–342. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Mateer CA, Kerns KA, Eso KL. Management of attention and memory disorders following traumatic brain injury. J Learn Disabil. 1996;29:618–632. - PubMed
    1. McDowd JM. An overview of attention: behavior and brain. J Neurol Phys Ther. 2007;31:98–103. - PubMed
    1. McCarthy M, Beaumont JG, Thompson R, Peacock S. Modality-specific aspects of sustained and divided attentional performance in multiple sclerosis. Arch Clin Neuropsych. 2005;20(6):705–718. - PubMed
    1. Mathias JL, Wheaton P. Changes in attention and information-processing speed following severe traumatic brain injury: a meta-analytic review. Neuropsychology. 2007;21(2):212–223. - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms