Walking While Talking: Effect of Task Prioritization in the Elderly

Verghese J, Kuslansky G, Holtzer R, Katz M, Xue X, Buschke H, Pahor M. Walking while talking: effect of task prioritization in the elderly.

Objective

To examine the effect of 2 instructions on the same walking while talking (WWT) task on task prioritization by nondisabled subjects.

Design

Cross-sectional survey with within subject comparisons.

Setting

Community-based sample.

Participants

Older adults (N=189; mean age, 80.2±4.9y), who did not meet criteria from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fourth Edition, for dementia and were able to independently perform activities of daily living.

Interventions

Not applicable.

Main Outcome Measures

Verbal and gait measures on the same WWT task with 2 different instructions: paying attention to both talking and walking (WWT-C) and paying attention only to talking (WWT-T).

Results

Task prioritization effects were seen on walking but not on talking. Compared with their baseline normal walking velocity (without talking), subjects slowed down more on WWT-T (median change, 28.3%) than WWT-C (median change, 26.4%). Comparing the 2 WWT conditions, velocity and cadence was slower during WWT-T compared with WWT-C, with longer stride length. Verbal output was not significantly different on the 2 conditions.

Conclusions

Changing instructions while maintaining the same cognitive and motor tasks on WWT in older adults result in task prioritization effects.