Abstract
This cross-sectional study investigated the age-related differences in dual-task performance both in mobility and cognitive tasks and the additive dual-task costs in a sample of older, middle-aged and young adults. 74 older adults (M = 72.63±5.57 years), 58 middle-aged adults (M = 46.69±4.68 years) and 63 young adults (M = 25.34±3.00 years) participated in the study. Participants performed different mobility and subtraction tasks under both single- and dual-task conditions. Linear regressions, repeated-measures and one-way analyses of covariance were used, The results showed: significant effects of the age on the dual and mobility tasks (p<0.05) and differences among the age-groups in the combined dual-task costs (p<0.05); significant decreases in mobility performance under dual-task conditions in all groups (p<0.05) and a decrease in cognitive performance in the older group (p<0.05). Dual-task activity affected mobility and cognitive performance, especially in older adults who showed a higher dual-task cost, suggesting that dual-tasks activities are affected by the age and consequently also mobility and cognitive tasks are negatively influenced.
Highlights
In everyday life, the mobility, defined as the ability to independently move around the environment [1], often requires the simultaneous performance of multiple cognitive or motor tasks
Previous studies used various sensorimotor primary tasks, such as balance or walking tasks, and a secondary task, such as cognitive tasks or manual tasks [8, 14,15,16]. These results underlined a possible cognitivemotor interference under dual-task conditions, in older adults compared to young adults, that led to a decline in the mobility performance and secondary task, or both [17], depending on the individual capability and task type [3, 15, 17]
The inclusion criteria were as follows: the ability to live independently, the ability to walk without an assistance device, and a mini-mental status examination (MMSE) score ! 24 or higher in older subjects
Summary
The mobility, defined as the ability to independently move around the environment [1], often requires the simultaneous performance of multiple cognitive or motor tasks. Previous studies used various sensorimotor primary tasks, such as balance or walking tasks, and a secondary task, such as cognitive tasks (e.g., reaction time, discrimination and decision-making, working memory tasks) or manual tasks (e.g., upper manipulation of an object) [8, 14,15,16] These results underlined a possible cognitivemotor interference under dual-task conditions, in older adults compared to young adults, that led to a decline in the mobility performance and secondary task, or both [17], depending on the individual capability and task type [3, 15, 17]
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