Effects of Aging and Task Prioritization on Split-Belt Gait Adaptation
Background: Age-related changes in the sensorimotor system and cognition affect gait adaptation, especially when locomotion is combined with a cognitive task. Performing a dual-task can shift the focus of attention and thus require task prioritization, especially in older adults. To gain a better un...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2019-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00010/full |
| _version_ | 1811199812154949632 |
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| author | Danique Vervoort Danique Vervoort A. Rob den Otter Tom J. W. Buurke Nicolas Vuillerme Nicolas Vuillerme Tibor Hortobágyi Claudine J. C. Lamoth |
| author_facet | Danique Vervoort Danique Vervoort A. Rob den Otter Tom J. W. Buurke Nicolas Vuillerme Nicolas Vuillerme Tibor Hortobágyi Claudine J. C. Lamoth |
| author_sort | Danique Vervoort |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Age-related changes in the sensorimotor system and cognition affect gait adaptation, especially when locomotion is combined with a cognitive task. Performing a dual-task can shift the focus of attention and thus require task prioritization, especially in older adults. To gain a better understanding of the age-related changes in the sensorimotor system, we examined how age and dual-tasking affect adaptive gait and task prioritization while walking on a split-belt treadmill.Methods: Young (21.5 ± 1.0 years, n = 10) and older adults (67.8 ± 5.8 years, n = 12) walked on a split-belt treadmill with a 2:1 belt speed ratio, with and without a cognitive Auditory Stroop task. Symmetry in step length, limb excursion, and double support time, and strategy variables swing time and swing speed were compared between the tied-belt baseline (BL), early (EA) and late split-belt adaptation (LA), and early tied-belt post-adaptation (EP).Results: Both age groups adapted to split-belt walking by re-establishing symmetry in step length and double support time. However, young and older adults differed on adaptation strategy. Older vs. young adults increased swing speed of the fast leg more during EA and LA (0.10–0.13 m/s), while young vs. older adults increased swing time of the fast leg more (2%). Dual-tasking affected limb excursion symmetry during EP. Cognitive task performance was 5–6% lower during EA compared to BL and LA in both age groups. Older vs. young adults had a lower cognitive task performance (max. 11% during EA).Conclusion: Healthy older adults retain the ability to adapt to split-belt perturbations, but interestingly age affects adaptation strategy during split-belt walking. This age-related change in adaptation strategy possibly reflects a need to increase gait stability to prevent falling. The decline in cognitive task performance during early adaptation suggests task prioritization, especially in older adults. Thus, a challenging motor task, like split-belt adaptation, requires prioritization between the motor and cognitive task to prevent adverse outcomes. This suggests that task prioritization and adaptation strategy should be a focus in fall prevention interventions. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:54:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6a5db53e94544786b9b6a7c15e8b9b34 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1663-4365 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T01:54:47Z |
| publishDate | 2019-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-6a5db53e94544786b9b6a7c15e8b9b342022-12-22T03:52:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652019-01-011110.3389/fnagi.2019.00010431511Effects of Aging and Task Prioritization on Split-Belt Gait AdaptationDanique Vervoort0Danique Vervoort1A. Rob den Otter2Tom J. W. Buurke3Nicolas Vuillerme4Nicolas Vuillerme5Tibor Hortobágyi6Claudine J. C. Lamoth7Center for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsAGEIS, University Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, FranceCenter for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsCenter for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsAGEIS, University Grenoble-Alpes, Grenoble, FranceInstitut Universitaire de France, Paris, FranceCenter for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsCenter for Human Movement Sciences, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, NetherlandsBackground: Age-related changes in the sensorimotor system and cognition affect gait adaptation, especially when locomotion is combined with a cognitive task. Performing a dual-task can shift the focus of attention and thus require task prioritization, especially in older adults. To gain a better understanding of the age-related changes in the sensorimotor system, we examined how age and dual-tasking affect adaptive gait and task prioritization while walking on a split-belt treadmill.Methods: Young (21.5 ± 1.0 years, n = 10) and older adults (67.8 ± 5.8 years, n = 12) walked on a split-belt treadmill with a 2:1 belt speed ratio, with and without a cognitive Auditory Stroop task. Symmetry in step length, limb excursion, and double support time, and strategy variables swing time and swing speed were compared between the tied-belt baseline (BL), early (EA) and late split-belt adaptation (LA), and early tied-belt post-adaptation (EP).Results: Both age groups adapted to split-belt walking by re-establishing symmetry in step length and double support time. However, young and older adults differed on adaptation strategy. Older vs. young adults increased swing speed of the fast leg more during EA and LA (0.10–0.13 m/s), while young vs. older adults increased swing time of the fast leg more (2%). Dual-tasking affected limb excursion symmetry during EP. Cognitive task performance was 5–6% lower during EA compared to BL and LA in both age groups. Older vs. young adults had a lower cognitive task performance (max. 11% during EA).Conclusion: Healthy older adults retain the ability to adapt to split-belt perturbations, but interestingly age affects adaptation strategy during split-belt walking. This age-related change in adaptation strategy possibly reflects a need to increase gait stability to prevent falling. The decline in cognitive task performance during early adaptation suggests task prioritization, especially in older adults. Thus, a challenging motor task, like split-belt adaptation, requires prioritization between the motor and cognitive task to prevent adverse outcomes. This suggests that task prioritization and adaptation strategy should be a focus in fall prevention interventions.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00010/fullsplit-belt walkingadaptive gaitagingolder adultsdual-tasktask prioritization |
| spellingShingle | Danique Vervoort Danique Vervoort A. Rob den Otter Tom J. W. Buurke Nicolas Vuillerme Nicolas Vuillerme Tibor Hortobágyi Claudine J. C. Lamoth Effects of Aging and Task Prioritization on Split-Belt Gait Adaptation Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience split-belt walking adaptive gait aging older adults dual-task task prioritization |
| title | Effects of Aging and Task Prioritization on Split-Belt Gait Adaptation |
| title_full | Effects of Aging and Task Prioritization on Split-Belt Gait Adaptation |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Aging and Task Prioritization on Split-Belt Gait Adaptation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Aging and Task Prioritization on Split-Belt Gait Adaptation |
| title_short | Effects of Aging and Task Prioritization on Split-Belt Gait Adaptation |
| title_sort | effects of aging and task prioritization on split belt gait adaptation |
| topic | split-belt walking adaptive gait aging older adults dual-task task prioritization |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fnagi.2019.00010/full |
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