Measuring implicit sequence learning and dual task ability in mild to moderate Parkinson´s disease: A feasibility...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Parkinson's disease (PD) affects motor and cognitive functions, including sequence learning and dual-tasking.
• Assessing these abilities in individuals with mild to moderate PD is crucial for understanding disease progression and developing interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of two choice reaction time tasks for assessing implicit sequence learning and dual task ability.
• To compare task performance between individuals with mild to moderate PD and healthy older adults.

Main Methods:

• A serial reaction time task measured implicit sequence learning.
• A modified task with an added counting task assessed dual task ability.
• Twelve individuals with mild to moderate PD and 12 healthy controls (≥60 years) participated.

Main Results:

• Both tasks were understood by participants and deemed acceptable in difficulty.
• Task fatigue was observed, suggesting careful data analysis considerations for future studies.
• Ceiling effects were noted in accuracy but not in reaction time outcomes.

Conclusions:

• The investigated reaction time tasks are feasible for use in individuals with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease and healthy older adults.
• The tasks show potential for assessing cognitive functions relevant to PD, though further methodological refinement is warranted.