Short-Term Effects of Single-Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Elderly

Background: Dual-tasking is challenging for people with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait (PD+FOG) and can exacerbate freezing episodes and falls. Split-belt treadmill training (SBT) is a novel tool to train complex gait and may improve dual-task (DT) walking and turning.Objective: To in...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nicholas D'Cruz, Jana Seuthe, Pieter Ginis, Femke Hulzinga, Christian Schlenstedt, Alice Nieuwboer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2020-09-01
Series:Frontiers in Neurology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fneur.2020.560084/full
_version_ 1828961294075559936
author Nicholas D'Cruz
Jana Seuthe
Pieter Ginis
Femke Hulzinga
Christian Schlenstedt
Alice Nieuwboer
author_facet Nicholas D'Cruz
Jana Seuthe
Pieter Ginis
Femke Hulzinga
Christian Schlenstedt
Alice Nieuwboer
author_sort Nicholas D'Cruz
collection DOAJ
description Background: Dual-tasking is challenging for people with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait (PD+FOG) and can exacerbate freezing episodes and falls. Split-belt treadmill training (SBT) is a novel tool to train complex gait and may improve dual-task (DT) walking and turning.Objective: To investigate the single-session effects of SBT on DT walking and DT turning performance in PD+FOG and older adults (OA), compared to regular treadmill training.Methods: Forty-five PD+FOG and 36 OA participated in a single training session (30 min). They were randomized into one of four training groups: (A) SB75—steady belt speed ratio 0.75:1; (B) SB50—steady belt speed ratio 0.5:1; (C) SBCR—changing belt speed ratios between 0.75:1 and 0.5:1; and (D) Tied-Belt (TBT). Over-ground straight-line gait and an alternating turning in place task combined with a cognitive dual-task (DT) (auditory Stroop) were assessed pre- and post-training, and the following day (retention). Constrained longitudinal data analysis was used to investigate the training effects for all participants and for PD+FOG alone.Results: DT gait speed improved at post-training for all groups (p < 0.001). However, SBT (SB50 and SBCR) led to larger post-training improvements compared to TBT, which were still visible at retention (SB50). For mean DT turning speed and Stroop response time while walking, only SBT groups showed significant improvements at post-training or retention. DT stride length, peak DT turning speed, and Stroop performance index while walking also showed larger gains in SBT compared to TBT. Results for PD+FOG alone showed similar effects although with smaller effect sizes.Conclusions: A single session of SBT in PD+FOG and OA showed larger short-term effects on DT walking and turning compared to TBT. Cognitive DT performance was also improved in SBT, likely due to reduced cortical control of gait. These results illustrate the potential for SBT to improve DT during complex gait and possibly reduce fall risk in clinical and healthy populations.
first_indexed 2024-12-14T09:43:57Z
format Article
id doaj.art-adf98d37635d4243bfadb5542aa7b06a
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-2295
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-14T09:43:57Z
publishDate 2020-09-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Neurology
spelling doaj.art-adf98d37635d4243bfadb5542aa7b06a2022-12-21T23:07:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Neurology1664-22952020-09-011110.3389/fneur.2020.560084560084Short-Term Effects of Single-Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Healthy ElderlyNicholas D'Cruz0Jana Seuthe1Pieter Ginis2Femke Hulzinga3Christian Schlenstedt4Alice Nieuwboer5Neurorehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian-Albrechts-University (CAU) Kiel, Kiel, GermanyNeurorehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumNeurorehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumDepartment of Neurology, University Hospital Schleswig-Holstein, Christian-Albrechts-University (CAU) Kiel, Kiel, GermanyNeurorehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, BelgiumBackground: Dual-tasking is challenging for people with Parkinson's disease and freezing of gait (PD+FOG) and can exacerbate freezing episodes and falls. Split-belt treadmill training (SBT) is a novel tool to train complex gait and may improve dual-task (DT) walking and turning.Objective: To investigate the single-session effects of SBT on DT walking and DT turning performance in PD+FOG and older adults (OA), compared to regular treadmill training.Methods: Forty-five PD+FOG and 36 OA participated in a single training session (30 min). They were randomized into one of four training groups: (A) SB75—steady belt speed ratio 0.75:1; (B) SB50—steady belt speed ratio 0.5:1; (C) SBCR—changing belt speed ratios between 0.75:1 and 0.5:1; and (D) Tied-Belt (TBT). Over-ground straight-line gait and an alternating turning in place task combined with a cognitive dual-task (DT) (auditory Stroop) were assessed pre- and post-training, and the following day (retention). Constrained longitudinal data analysis was used to investigate the training effects for all participants and for PD+FOG alone.Results: DT gait speed improved at post-training for all groups (p < 0.001). However, SBT (SB50 and SBCR) led to larger post-training improvements compared to TBT, which were still visible at retention (SB50). For mean DT turning speed and Stroop response time while walking, only SBT groups showed significant improvements at post-training or retention. DT stride length, peak DT turning speed, and Stroop performance index while walking also showed larger gains in SBT compared to TBT. Results for PD+FOG alone showed similar effects although with smaller effect sizes.Conclusions: A single session of SBT in PD+FOG and OA showed larger short-term effects on DT walking and turning compared to TBT. Cognitive DT performance was also improved in SBT, likely due to reduced cortical control of gait. These results illustrate the potential for SBT to improve DT during complex gait and possibly reduce fall risk in clinical and healthy populations.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fneur.2020.560084/fulldual-taskinggait trainingrehabilitationfreezing of gaitturning in placeconstrained longitudinal data analysis
spellingShingle Nicholas D'Cruz
Jana Seuthe
Pieter Ginis
Femke Hulzinga
Christian Schlenstedt
Alice Nieuwboer
Short-Term Effects of Single-Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Elderly
Frontiers in Neurology
dual-tasking
gait training
rehabilitation
freezing of gait
turning in place
constrained longitudinal data analysis
title Short-Term Effects of Single-Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Elderly
title_full Short-Term Effects of Single-Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Elderly
title_fullStr Short-Term Effects of Single-Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Elderly
title_full_unstemmed Short-Term Effects of Single-Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Elderly
title_short Short-Term Effects of Single-Session Split-Belt Treadmill Training on Dual-Task Performance in Parkinson's Disease and Healthy Elderly
title_sort short term effects of single session split belt treadmill training on dual task performance in parkinson s disease and healthy elderly
topic dual-tasking
gait training
rehabilitation
freezing of gait
turning in place
constrained longitudinal data analysis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fneur.2020.560084/full
work_keys_str_mv AT nicholasdcruz shorttermeffectsofsinglesessionsplitbelttreadmilltrainingondualtaskperformanceinparkinsonsdiseaseandhealthyelderly
AT janaseuthe shorttermeffectsofsinglesessionsplitbelttreadmilltrainingondualtaskperformanceinparkinsonsdiseaseandhealthyelderly
AT pieterginis shorttermeffectsofsinglesessionsplitbelttreadmilltrainingondualtaskperformanceinparkinsonsdiseaseandhealthyelderly
AT femkehulzinga shorttermeffectsofsinglesessionsplitbelttreadmilltrainingondualtaskperformanceinparkinsonsdiseaseandhealthyelderly
AT christianschlenstedt shorttermeffectsofsinglesessionsplitbelttreadmilltrainingondualtaskperformanceinparkinsonsdiseaseandhealthyelderly
AT alicenieuwboer shorttermeffectsofsinglesessionsplitbelttreadmilltrainingondualtaskperformanceinparkinsonsdiseaseandhealthyelderly