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The Effects of Cognition and Vision While Walking in Younger and Older Adults

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Pham, Trong, Suen, Meagan, Cho, Young-Hee, Krishnan, Vennila·2024·Sensors
DOI 10.3390/s24237789PMC PMC11645043
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Abstract

This study investigated how various cognitive tasks and visual challenges affect dual-task walking costs (DTWC) in younger and older adults. Twenty younger adults (Meanage = 22.25, SD = 3.04, 4 males) and eighteen older adults (Meanage = 71.75, SD = 5.17, 7 males) completed single-task walking and dual-task walking. The dual tasks involved walking while performing either (a) serial-subtraction by 3s or (b) a Stroop task. Both single tasks and dual tasks were performed under both normal vision and peripheral-vision-loss conditions. Results showed no significant three-way interaction but two significant two-way interactions: DTWC for step-length was greater during Stroop compared to serial-subtraction, (a) more in older adults regardless of vision (p = 0.022) and (b) more under peripheral-vision-loss regardless of age (p = 0.033). In addition, DTWC for various gait parameters was greater under (a) Stroop compared to serial-subtraction, (b) peripheral-vision-loss compared to normal vision, and (c) older adults compared to younger adults. These findings suggest that, when engaging in a cognitively demanding task, older adults place greater emphasis on maintaining gait compared to younger adults, likely to offset the negative impacts of additional cognitive load and deteriorated vision. Future research should further examine how different cognitive tasks and visual challenges interact across age groups.

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    (n.d.) · Chinese Medical Journal / Neuroscience News · doi:10.1097/cm9.0000000000004040

    “[1] The neural process by which the brain utilizes sensory inputs to guide motor control is known as sensorimotor integration.”

Authors
Pham, T., Suen, M., Cho, Y.-H., & Krishnan, V.
Affiliations
California State University, Long Beach (US)
Corresponding author
Krishnan, Vennila
ORCID
Venue
Sensors
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2024-12-05
Volume
24
Issue
23
Pages
7789
ISSN
1424-8220 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/s24237789
PMC
PMC11645043
OpenAlex
W4405074571
Cited by
7
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 2
FWCI
6.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Sensors (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Older Adults Driving Studies
Keywords
dual-task walking, cognitive load, aging, older adults, peripheral vision loss, Stroop task, serial subtraction, gait, step length, age differences, visual impairment
MeSH terms
Adult, Aged, Cognition, Female, Gait, Humans, Male, Vision, Ocular, Walking, Young Adult

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