Locomotor-cognitive dual-tasking is reduced in older adults relative to younger: A systematic review with meta-analysis

IF 2.2 3区医学 Q3 NEUROSCIENCES

Gait & posture Pub Date : 2025-04-14 DOI:10.1016/j.gaitpost.2025.04.012

Jona Mustafovska, Peter H. Wilson, Michael H. Cole, Thomas B. McGuckian

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

The capacity to dual-task is critically important over the lifespan, enabling an individual to respond to demands in their environment, both safely and efficiently.

Research question

Does recent evidence suggest that relative to younger adults, older adults are most disadvantaged when performing locomotor-cognitive dual-tasks under conditions that are more representative of the real-world?

Method

A literature search of major electronic databases was conducted to find relevant peer-reviewed papers published since 2011. Thirty-nine studies that compared proportional dual-task costs (pDTC) between older and younger adults on a locomotor-cognitive dual-task were included. Study quality was assessed using the Appraisal tool for Cross-Sectional Studies.

Results

pDTC were calculated for a total of 504 motor and 53 cognitive outcomes. Weighted means showed that older adults experienced larger pDTCs than younger adults for motor (mean difference = −6.97) and cognitive (mean difference = −8.15) outcomes. Velocity variability measures produced the largest group difference on motor pDTC (mean difference = −32.83), as did cognitive tasks that targeted arithmetic (mean difference = −18.57) and texting skills (mean difference = −17.43). Cognitive tasks that were ‘most representative’ resulted in the largest age differences on motor pDTC (mean difference = −16.89).

Significance

This meta-analysis showed that dual-tasking challenged the ability of older adults to maintain consistency in the sequential timing of their gait. As well, older adults demonstrated greater pDTCs on motor outcomes, especially when the cognitive tasks were more representative of day-to-day activities. Taken together, this suggests that clinical assessments should focus on measures of variability rather than absolute measures of temporal and spatial gait. It is recommended that future research use more representative paradigms that are sensitive to dual-task interference and predictive of real-world behaviour.

查看原文本刊更多论文

与年轻人相比，老年人的运动-认知双重任务减少：一项荟萃分析的系统综述

双重任务的能力在人的一生中至关重要，它使个体能够安全有效地对环境中的需求做出反应。研究问题：最近的证据是否表明，相对于年轻人，老年人在更能代表现实世界的条件下执行运动-认知双重任务时最不利？方法检索各大电子数据库2011年以来发表的相关同行评议论文。39项研究比较了老年人和年轻人在运动-认知双任务中的比例双任务成本（pDTC）。使用横断面研究评估工具评估研究质量。结果计算了504项运动结果和53项认知结果的spdtc。加权平均显示，老年人在运动（平均差值= −6.97）和认知（平均差值= −8.15）方面的pdtc值大于年轻人。速度可变性测量在运动pDTC上产生了最大的组差异（平均差异= −32.83），以算术为目标的认知任务（平均差异= −18.57）和短信技能（平均差异= −17.43）也是如此。“最具代表性”的认知任务导致运动pDTC的最大年龄差异（平均差异= −16.89）。这项荟萃分析表明，双重任务挑战了老年人保持步态顺序一致性的能力。此外，老年人在运动结果上表现出更大的pdtc，特别是当认知任务更能代表日常活动时。综上所述，这表明临床评估应侧重于变异性的测量，而不是时间和空间步态的绝对测量。建议未来的研究使用更有代表性的范式，对双任务干扰敏感，并预测现实世界的行为。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Gait & posture 医学-神经科学

CiteScore

4.70

自引率

12.50%

发文量

616

审稿时长

6 months

期刊介绍： Gait & Posture is a vehicle for the publication of up-to-date basic and clinical research on all aspects of locomotion and balance. The topics covered include: Techniques for the measurement of gait and posture, and the standardization of results presentation; Studies of normal and pathological gait; Treatment of gait and postural abnormalities; Biomechanical and theoretical approaches to gait and posture; Mathematical models of joint and muscle mechanics; Neurological and musculoskeletal function in gait and posture; The evolution of upright posture and bipedal locomotion; Adaptations of carrying loads, walking on uneven surfaces, climbing stairs etc; spinal biomechanics only if they are directly related to gait and/or posture and are of general interest to our readers; The effect of aging and development on gait and posture; Psychological and cultural aspects of gait; Patient education.