Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 8, 2025
Home-Based Monitor for Gait and Activity Analysis
Published on: August 8, 2019
Sustained Attention and Gait Pattern Changes During the 6-minute Walk Test in Persons With Multiple Sclerosis
Zuhal Abasıyanık1, Turhan Kahraman, Renee Veldkamp
1REVAL Rehabilitation Research Center, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium (Z. A, R. V, P. F); UMSC, Hasselt-Pelt, Belgium (Z. A, R. V, P. F); Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Sciences, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir, Turkey (Z. A, T. K); Department of Neurological Physiotherapy-Rehabilitation, Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Dokuz Eylül University, Izmir, Turkey (Ö. E); Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health Professions, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel (A. K); and Izmir University of Economics, Medical Point Hospital, Izmir, Turkey (S. Ö).
Sustained attention declined during prolonged walking in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS), unlike healthy controls. Gait also worsened in all groups, potentially explaining daily walking and dual-task challenges for pwMS.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Science
- Human Movement Science
Background:
- Persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) often experience gait and cognitive impairments.
- The impact of prolonged walking on sustained attention and gait quality in pwMS remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in sustained attention and gait parameters during a 6-minute walk test in pwMS with varying disability levels and healthy controls (HCs).
- To explore correlations between these changes and self-reported daily life difficulties.
Main Methods:
- Participants completed a 6-minute walk test while performing an auditory sustained attention task.
- Inertial measurement sensors tracked gait parameters, and verbal responses assessed attention accuracy and reaction time.
Main Results:
- Sustained attention, measured by reaction time, significantly declined over time in pwMS but not HCs.
- Gait parameters deteriorated in all groups, though without significant group-by-time interaction.
- Decreased attention did not correlate with gait changes, but gait deterioration linked to perceived walking and dual-task difficulties.
Conclusions:
- Sustained attention capacity during walking diminishes over time in pwMS.
- Gait quality deteriorates across all participants during prolonged walking.
- Worsening gait during cognitive tasks may exacerbate daily walking and dual-task challenges for pwMS.
