Continuous and difficult discrete cognitive tasks promote improved stability in older adults
Yves Lajoie1, Deborah A Jehu1, Natalie Richer1
1School of Human Kinetics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Gait & Posture
|April 16, 2017
Summary
Cognitive tasks reduce sway in older adults, with continuous tasks increasing sway frequency and velocity. Task difficulty and type significantly impact postural control during dual-tasking.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Neuroscience
- Biomechanics
Background:
- Directing attention from postural control to cognitive tasks can promote automatic postural control.
- The impact of continuous versus intermittent attention withdrawal on postural automatization in older adults is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how different types of cognitive tasks influence postural control in older adults.
- To determine if task difficulty and cognitive process engagement affect postural stability during dual-tasking.
Main Methods:
- Twenty older adults (mean age 69.9 years) performed single-task standing and dual-tasking with discrete and continuous cognitive tasks.
- Postural sway was measured using a force platform while participants responded to auditory stimuli or performed mental tasks.
Main Results:
- Difficult discrete and continuous cognitive tasks significantly reduced sway amplitude and variability compared to single-task standing.
- Continuous cognitive tasks increased anterior-posterior sway frequency and sway velocity, suggesting potential ankle stiffening.
- Simple discrete tasks showed no significant difference in postural control compared to single-task standing.
Conclusions:
- Postural control in older adults during dual-tasking is influenced by cognitive task difficulty, the engaged neuropsychological process, and task type (discrete vs. continuous).
- These findings offer insights into age-related changes in postural stability and attention demands during dual-tasking activities common in daily life.
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