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Cognitive-motor interference during walking with modified leg mechanics: a dual-task walking study
Norman Riedel1, Michael Herzog2, Thorsten Stein2
1Institute of Human and Industrial Engineering, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Frontiers in Psychology
|May 3, 2024
Summary
Modified leg mechanics in walking increase cognitive-motor interference, especially during difficult dual-task situations. This highlights the need to understand human-exoskeleton interaction for designing effective assistive devices.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Mobile exoskeletons can alter musculoskeletal biomechanics due to weight and restricted motion.
- This alteration may impose physical and cognitive loads on users.
- Understanding lower extremity loading's effect on cognitive-motor interference is vital for wearable device design and training.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how modified leg mechanics affect cognitive-motor interference during dual-task walking.
- To analyze gait variability in relation to cognitive task difficulty.
- To determine if lower extremity loading modifies the relationship between gait and cognitive load.
Main Methods:
- Fifteen healthy adults walked on a treadmill with and without thigh/shank weight cuffs.
- Participants performed simple (Stroop) and difficult (serial subtraction) cognitive tasks.
- Gait parameters (step length, width, stride time, double support time) and secondary task performance were measured.
Main Results:
- Modified leg mechanics increased overall gait variability.
- Double support time variability decreased during dual-task walking, but not with modified mechanics during the difficult task.
- Modified leg mechanics altered gait patterns (increased step length, width, stride time; decreased double support time), independent of cognitive load.
Conclusions:
- Modified leg mechanics may exacerbate cognitive-motor interference in demanding dual-task scenarios.
- The interplay of attention and attentional resource competition influences gait variability.
- Further research into cognitive-motor interference mechanisms is crucial for human-exoskeleton interaction.
