The Role of Background Acoustic Stimuli in Dual Tasks: A Study on Postural Control Performance

Performing everyday tasks requires the use of multiple cognitive, sensory, and emotional systems. The interference of different variables in these multitasking systems affects our motor-balance system. This study was conducted to investigate how acoustic stimuli presented during a cognitive-motor dual task affect postural control in healthy young adults.

Fifty-four healthy participants (39 females, 15 males; total age 21.87±1.18, range 19-24) were randomly assigned to control (silent), noise (multi-talker babble), or music (Mozart-Jupiter) groups based on testing environment. During the Stroop test, conducted with acoustic stimuli, postural sway velocity was measured on firm and foam surfaces with eyes open. The dual-task effect was assessed using the Wilcoxon test, and group comparisons employed one-way ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests. Independent t tests and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for two-group comparisons. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05 (Bonferroni-adjusted p<0.017).

The silent cognitive-motor dual task increased postural sway on firm (median increased from 0.18 to 0.26 deg/s) and foam (median increased from 0.21 to 0.32 deg/s) surfaces. Music did not significantly affect cognitive performance or postural sway compared to the control group. However, noise reduced postural sway on firm and foam surfaces compared to the control group but did not affect cognitive performance. There was no significant difference in average Stroop response times between the groups or between the firm and foam surface comparisons.

During inhibitory control tasks, cognitive effort prioritized in young people in easy-to-balance situations. Background noise affects motor-cognitive interaction, highlighting its potential for enhancing vestibular rehabilitation strategies in multitasking and guiding future research.