Effects of spatial working memory capacity and resolution loads on postural stability while dual-tasking

Increased spatial processing demands, e.g., working memory loads, which include capacity load and resolution load, may interfere with postural stability. To date, there has been little evidence to demonstrate whether capacity load and resolution load affect postural stability. Therefore, this study manipulated capacity load and resolution load in a spatial working memory task to examine how postural stability is affected. Sixteen healthy young participants were tested in a dual-task paradigm that consisted of a postural task with a tandem Romberg stance and a spatial working memory task with different capacity loads and resolution loads in different sessions. Participants were required to detect a salient change (45° in low resolution) or a subtle change (15° in high resolution) in the bar orientation as a resolution load. Capacity load was manipulated by storing the number of bars, with two bars in low capacity and four in high capacity. The results showed significant interactions between capacity load and resolution load on dual-task effects of sway velocity. In the low-resolution condition, the dual-task effects of anteroposterior and mediolateral sway velocity were significantly lower in the high capacity than in the low capacity, yet no significant differences occurred in the high-resolution load condition. Our results suggest that increased capacity loads interfere with postural stability only in low-resolution loads while dual-tasking.