The effect of instructions on postural-suprapostural interactions in three working memory tasks

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Human Motor Control

Background:

• Dual-tasking, involving simultaneous postural and cognitive tasks, generally enhances postural control in young adults.
• The specific influence of attention, directed by explicit verbal instructions, on these postural-cognitive interactions remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how explicit verbal instructions affect postural control and suprapostural task interactions.
• To examine these effects across different working memory domains.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-two healthy young adults performed single-limb balance tasks concurrently with three suprapostural tasks (backwards counting, random number generation, manikin test).
• Participants completed tasks under three instructional conditions: no instructions, focus on posture, or focus on the cognitive task.
• Postural control was assessed using the time-to-boundary measure.

Main Results:

• Postural control significantly improved with instructions across all cognitive tasks, regardless of working memory domain.
• Instructions to focus on the suprapostural task led to the most substantial improvements in postural control.
• Attention, guided by explicit instructions, demonstrably influences postural-suprapostural interactions.

Conclusions:

• Explicit verbal instructions, particularly directing attention to the cognitive task, enhance postural control during dual-tasking.
• Attention's role is crucial in modulating the interplay between postural stability and cognitive load.
• Findings offer insights into attentional strategies for optimizing balance in everyday activities.