Dual task cost in adults with persistent concussion symptoms.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Persistent concussion symptoms (PCS) significantly impair daily activities, including gait.
• Deficits in both single-task and dual-task (DT) gait are common post-concussion.
• Task prioritization strategies and the impact of varying cognitive loads on DT gait in PCS remain understudied.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine single and DT gait performance in adults with PCS.
• To identify task prioritization strategies during DT gait in this population.
• To investigate the effects of different cognitive challenges on DT gait.

Main Methods:

• 15 adults with PCS and 23 healthy controls performed single and DT gait tasks.
• DT conditions included visual stroop, verbal fluency, and working memory challenges.
• Gait speed, step length, and cognitive accuracy were measured and compared between groups.

Main Results:

• PCS participants exhibited significantly higher overall dual-task costs for gait speed and step length compared to controls.
• PCS gait speed was notably slower across all DT conditions (verbal fluency, visual stroop, working memory).
• Cognitive performance differed significantly, with PCS participants showing lower accuracy in working memory tasks.

Conclusions:

• PCS individuals tend to adopt a 'posture-second' strategy, sacrificing gait for cognitive tasks.
• During working memory challenges, PCS patients exhibit mutual interference, impacting both motor and cognitive functions.
• Cognitive task demands critically influence DT gait performance in individuals with PCS.