[Purpose] We aimed to compare the effects of cognitive load and task prioritization on
dual task strategies in patients with stroke and healthy adults in order to clarify the
characteristics of cognitive-motor interference. [Participants and Methods] In total, 26
patients with stroke and 26 age-matched healthy adults (controls) performed the Timed Up
and Go Test while performing a serial subtraction task from random numbers between 90 and
100. Dual task was measured under four conditions in which two difficulty levels of “3
subtraction” and “7 subtraction” were multiplied by two prioritizing tasks that involved
“paying equal attention to both walking and subtraction tasks” (no priority) and “paying
attention while mainly focusing on subtraction tasks” (cognitive priority). [Results]
Increasing cognitive load and prioritizing cognitive tasks affected motor performance in
terms of the amount of time and number of steps required to complete the Timed Up and Go
Test in both the patients and controls. However, cognitive load and task prioritization
did not affect cognitive performance. [Conclusion] When cognitive load increases and
instructions are given to prioritize increases in cognitive load, patients with stroke use
the “posture first” strategy to stabilize their gait as effectively as healthy adults
do.