Gait decline while dual-tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle-aged and older adults
Loss of white matter integrity (WMI) is associated with gait deficits in middle-aged and older adults. However, these deficits are often only apparent under cognitively demanding situations, such as walking and simultaneously performing a secondary cognitive task. Moreover, evidence suggests that de...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-09-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.934241/full |
| _version_ | 1798000095558369280 |
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| author | Haidar Alzaid Haidar Alzaid Thomas Ethofer Thomas Ethofer Bernd Kardatzki Michael Erb Klaus Scheffler Daniela Berg Walter Maetzler Markus A. Hobert |
| author_facet | Haidar Alzaid Haidar Alzaid Thomas Ethofer Thomas Ethofer Bernd Kardatzki Michael Erb Klaus Scheffler Daniela Berg Walter Maetzler Markus A. Hobert |
| author_sort | Haidar Alzaid |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Loss of white matter integrity (WMI) is associated with gait deficits in middle-aged and older adults. However, these deficits are often only apparent under cognitively demanding situations, such as walking and simultaneously performing a secondary cognitive task. Moreover, evidence suggests that declining executive functions (EF) are linked to gait decline, and their co-occurrence may point to a common underlying pathology, i.e., degeneration of shared brain regions. In this study, we applied diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and a standardized gait assessment under single- and dual-tasking (DT) conditions (walking and subtracting) in 74 middle-aged and older adults without any significant gait or cognitive impairments to detect subtle WM alterations associated with gait decline under DT conditions. Additionally, the Trail Making Test (TMT) was used to assess EF, classify participants into three groups based on their performance, and examine a possible interaction between gait, EF, and WMI. Gait speed and subtracting speed while dual-tasking correlated significantly with the fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral anterior corona radiata (highest r = 0.51/p < 0.0125 FWE-corrected). Dual-task costs (DTC) of gait speed correlated significantly with FA in widespread pathways, including the corpus callosum, bilateral anterior and superior corona radiata, as well as the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (highest r = −0.47/p < 0.0125 FWE-corrected). EF performance was associated with FA in the left anterior corona radiata (p < 0.05); however, EF did not significantly mediate the effects of WMI on DTC of gait speed. There were no significant correlations between TMT and DTC of gait and subtracting speed, respectively. Our findings indicate that gait decline under DT conditions is associated with widespread WM deterioration even in middle-aged and older adults without any significant gait or cognitive impairments. However, this relationship was not mediated by EF. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:14:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-22bb603144334e6da1bb82eeeb4a0f8d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-4365 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T11:14:46Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-22bb603144334e6da1bb82eeeb4a0f8d2022-12-22T04:27:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652022-09-011410.3389/fnagi.2022.934241934241Gait decline while dual-tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle-aged and older adultsHaidar Alzaid0Haidar Alzaid1Thomas Ethofer2Thomas Ethofer3Bernd Kardatzki4Michael Erb5Klaus Scheffler6Daniela Berg7Walter Maetzler8Markus A. Hobert9Department of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Neuroradiology, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, GermanyDepartment of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Biomedical Magnetic Resonance, Tübingen University Hospital, Tübingen, GermanyDepartment of Neurology, Kiel University Hospital, Kiel, GermanyDepartment of Neurology, Kiel University Hospital, Kiel, GermanyDepartment of Neurology, Kiel University Hospital, Kiel, GermanyLoss of white matter integrity (WMI) is associated with gait deficits in middle-aged and older adults. However, these deficits are often only apparent under cognitively demanding situations, such as walking and simultaneously performing a secondary cognitive task. Moreover, evidence suggests that declining executive functions (EF) are linked to gait decline, and their co-occurrence may point to a common underlying pathology, i.e., degeneration of shared brain regions. In this study, we applied diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and a standardized gait assessment under single- and dual-tasking (DT) conditions (walking and subtracting) in 74 middle-aged and older adults without any significant gait or cognitive impairments to detect subtle WM alterations associated with gait decline under DT conditions. Additionally, the Trail Making Test (TMT) was used to assess EF, classify participants into three groups based on their performance, and examine a possible interaction between gait, EF, and WMI. Gait speed and subtracting speed while dual-tasking correlated significantly with the fractional anisotropy (FA) in the bilateral anterior corona radiata (highest r = 0.51/p < 0.0125 FWE-corrected). Dual-task costs (DTC) of gait speed correlated significantly with FA in widespread pathways, including the corpus callosum, bilateral anterior and superior corona radiata, as well as the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (highest r = −0.47/p < 0.0125 FWE-corrected). EF performance was associated with FA in the left anterior corona radiata (p < 0.05); however, EF did not significantly mediate the effects of WMI on DTC of gait speed. There were no significant correlations between TMT and DTC of gait and subtracting speed, respectively. Our findings indicate that gait decline under DT conditions is associated with widespread WM deterioration even in middle-aged and older adults without any significant gait or cognitive impairments. However, this relationship was not mediated by EF.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.934241/fulldiffusion tensor imagingdual-task costsgaitwhite matterexecutive functions |
| spellingShingle | Haidar Alzaid Haidar Alzaid Thomas Ethofer Thomas Ethofer Bernd Kardatzki Michael Erb Klaus Scheffler Daniela Berg Walter Maetzler Markus A. Hobert Gait decline while dual-tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle-aged and older adults Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience diffusion tensor imaging dual-task costs gait white matter executive functions |
| title | Gait decline while dual-tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle-aged and older adults |
| title_full | Gait decline while dual-tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle-aged and older adults |
| title_fullStr | Gait decline while dual-tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle-aged and older adults |
| title_full_unstemmed | Gait decline while dual-tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle-aged and older adults |
| title_short | Gait decline while dual-tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle-aged and older adults |
| title_sort | gait decline while dual tasking is an early sign of white matter deterioration in middle aged and older adults |
| topic | diffusion tensor imaging dual-task costs gait white matter executive functions |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2022.934241/full |
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