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Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation
Published in: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation 1/2010

Open Access 01-12-2010 | Research

Dual task interference during gait in patients with unilateral vestibular disorders

Authors: Alberto Nascimbeni, Andrea Gaffuri, Arminio Penno, Mara Tavoni

Published in: Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation | Issue 1/2010

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Abstract

Background

Vestibular patients show slower and unsteady gait; they have also been shown to need greater cognitive resources when carrying out balance and cognitive dual tasks (DT). This study investigated DT interference during gait in a middle-aged group of subjects with dizziness and unsteadiness after unilateral vestibular neuronitis and in a healthy control group.

Methods

Fourteen individuals with subacute unilateral vestibular impairment after neuronitis and seventeen healthy subjects performed gait and cognitive tasks in single and DT conditions. A statistical gait analysis system was used and spatio-temporal parameters were considered. The cognitive task, consisting of backward counting by three, was tape recorded and the number of right figures was then calculated.

Results

Both patients and controls showed a more conservative gait during DT and between groups significant differences were not found. A significant decrease in cognitive performance during DT was found only in the vestibular group.

Conclusions

Results suggest that less attentional resources are available during gait in vestibular patients compared to controls, and that a priority is given in keeping up the motor task to the detriment of a decrease of the cognitive performance during DT.
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Metadata
Title
Dual task interference during gait in patients with unilateral vestibular disorders
Authors
Alberto Nascimbeni
Andrea Gaffuri
Arminio Penno
Mara Tavoni
Publication date
01-12-2010
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
Journal of NeuroEngineering and Rehabilitation / Issue 1/2010
Electronic ISSN: 1743-0003
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-0003-7-47

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