Cognitive processes affect the gait of subjects with Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease in dual tasks

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relation between gait parameters and cognitive impairments in subjects with Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) during the performance of dual tasks. Methods This was a cross-sectional study involving 126 subjects divided into three groups: Parkinson group (n = 43), Alzheimer group (n = 38), and control group (n = 45). The subjects were evaluated using the Timed Up and Go test administered with motor and cognitive distracters. Gait analyses consisted of cadence and speed measurements, with cognitive functions being assessed by the Brief Cognitive Screening Battery and the Clock Drawing Test. Statistical procedures included mixed-design analyses of variance to observe the gait patterns between groups and tasks and the linear regression model to investigate the influence of cognitive functions in this process. A 5% significant level was adopted. Results Regarding the subjects’ speed, the data show a significant difference between group vs task interaction (p = 0.009), with worse performance of subjects with PD in motor dual task and of subjects with AD in cognitive dual task. With respect to cadence, no statistical differences was seen between group vs task interaction (p = 0.105), showing low interference of the clinical conditions on such parameter. The linear regression model showed that up to 45.79%, of the variance in gait can be explained by the interference of cognitive processes. Conclusion Dual task activities affect gait pattern in subjects with PD and AD. Differences between groups reflect peculiarities of each disease and show a direct interference of cognitive processes on complex tasks.

The Figure Memory Test: diagnosis of memory impairment in populations with heterogeneous educational background

“…The BCSB was used for this study and it was possible to verify that executive functions (assessed by the CDT) have the most relevant cognitive influence in complex tasks. 51 …”

“…The BCSB was used for this study and it was possible to verify that executive functions (assessed by the CDT) have the most relevant cognitive influence in complex tasks. 51 A study investigating 113 individuals with PD (78 men), with mean age of 68.1±9.4 years, mean formal education of 3.9±3.2 years and duration of symptoms, that is, mean length of time since the patients developed PD of 7.7±5.2 years, were screened for dementia with the BCSB. Dementia was detected using the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale in 46 patients (40.7%).…”

Home‐based multimodal exercise program in older people with Alzheimer disease: Randomized controlled trial protocol

“…The negative impact on activities of daily living (ADLs) (Talmelli, Vale, Gratão, Kusumota, & Rodrigues, 2013) leads to dependence on a caregiver. Moreover, the accompanying motor decline results in deficits in balance and muscle strength (Zidan et al., 2012), and a poor performance on dual tasks (Christofoletti, Felippe, Müller, Beinotti, & Borges, 2015).…”