Cognitive-motor multitasking in older adults: a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training success
Abstract Background Multitasking is an essential part of our everyday life, but performance declines typically in older age. Many studies have investigated the beneficial effects of cognitive, motor and combined cognitive-motor training on multitasking performance in older adults. Previous work, how...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-07-01
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| Series: | BMC Geriatrics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03201-5 |
| _version_ | 1828541682809831424 |
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| author | Melanie Mack Robert Stojan Otmar Bock Claudia Voelcker-Rehage |
| author_facet | Melanie Mack Robert Stojan Otmar Bock Claudia Voelcker-Rehage |
| author_sort | Melanie Mack |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Multitasking is an essential part of our everyday life, but performance declines typically in older age. Many studies have investigated the beneficial effects of cognitive, motor and combined cognitive-motor training on multitasking performance in older adults. Previous work, however, has not regarded interindividual differences in cognitive functioning and motor fitness that may affect training benefits. The current study aims to identify whether different training programs may have differential effects on multitasking performance depending on the initial level of cognitive functioning and motor fitness. Methods We conduct a 12-week single-blinded randomized controlled trial. A total of N = 150 healthy older adults are assigned to either a single cognitive, a single motor, or a simultaneous cognitive-motor training. Participants are trained twice per week for 45 min. A comprehensive test battery assesses cognitive functions, motor and cardiovascular fitness, and realistic multitasking during walking and driving in two virtual environments. We evaluate how multitasking performance is related not only to the training program, but also to participants’ initial levels of cognitive functioning and motor fitness. Discussion We expect that multitasking performance in participants with lower initial competence in either one or both domains (cognitive functioning, motor fitness) benefits more from single-task training (cognitive training and/or motor training). In contrast, multitasking performance in participants with higher competence in both domains should benefit more from multitask training (simultaneous cognitive-motor training). The results may help to identify whether tailored training is favorable over standardized one-size-fits all training approaches to improve multitasking in older adults. In addition, our findings will advance the understanding of factors that influence training effects on multitasking. Trial registration DRKS (German Clinical Trials Register), DRKS00022407. Registered 26/08/2020 - Retrospectively registered at https://www.drks.de/drks_web/setLocale_EN.do |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T01:43:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9b4ecbe576fe4788ad372732c35413f8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1471-2318 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T01:43:41Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Geriatrics |
| spelling | doaj.art-9b4ecbe576fe4788ad372732c35413f82022-12-22T00:42:38ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182022-07-0122111610.1186/s12877-022-03201-5Cognitive-motor multitasking in older adults: a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training successMelanie Mack0Robert Stojan1Otmar Bock2Claudia Voelcker-Rehage3Department of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of MünsterDepartment of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of MünsterInstitute of Human Movement Science and Health, Chemnitz University of TechnologyDepartment of Neuromotor Behavior and Exercise, Institute of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of MünsterAbstract Background Multitasking is an essential part of our everyday life, but performance declines typically in older age. Many studies have investigated the beneficial effects of cognitive, motor and combined cognitive-motor training on multitasking performance in older adults. Previous work, however, has not regarded interindividual differences in cognitive functioning and motor fitness that may affect training benefits. The current study aims to identify whether different training programs may have differential effects on multitasking performance depending on the initial level of cognitive functioning and motor fitness. Methods We conduct a 12-week single-blinded randomized controlled trial. A total of N = 150 healthy older adults are assigned to either a single cognitive, a single motor, or a simultaneous cognitive-motor training. Participants are trained twice per week for 45 min. A comprehensive test battery assesses cognitive functions, motor and cardiovascular fitness, and realistic multitasking during walking and driving in two virtual environments. We evaluate how multitasking performance is related not only to the training program, but also to participants’ initial levels of cognitive functioning and motor fitness. Discussion We expect that multitasking performance in participants with lower initial competence in either one or both domains (cognitive functioning, motor fitness) benefits more from single-task training (cognitive training and/or motor training). In contrast, multitasking performance in participants with higher competence in both domains should benefit more from multitask training (simultaneous cognitive-motor training). The results may help to identify whether tailored training is favorable over standardized one-size-fits all training approaches to improve multitasking in older adults. In addition, our findings will advance the understanding of factors that influence training effects on multitasking. Trial registration DRKS (German Clinical Trials Register), DRKS00022407. Registered 26/08/2020 - Retrospectively registered at https://www.drks.de/drks_web/setLocale_EN.dohttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03201-5AdaptiveIndividualizedDual-taskingAgingEcological validityExercise |
| spellingShingle | Melanie Mack Robert Stojan Otmar Bock Claudia Voelcker-Rehage Cognitive-motor multitasking in older adults: a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training success BMC Geriatrics Adaptive Individualized Dual-tasking Aging Ecological validity Exercise |
| title | Cognitive-motor multitasking in older adults: a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training success |
| title_full | Cognitive-motor multitasking in older adults: a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training success |
| title_fullStr | Cognitive-motor multitasking in older adults: a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training success |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cognitive-motor multitasking in older adults: a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training success |
| title_short | Cognitive-motor multitasking in older adults: a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training success |
| title_sort | cognitive motor multitasking in older adults a randomized controlled study on the effects of individual differences on training success |
| topic | Adaptive Individualized Dual-tasking Aging Ecological validity Exercise |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-03201-5 |
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