Article

Performing a cognitive task while walking results in a reduction of
walking performance among persons with MS. To date,
very little is known about
correlates of this dual task cost (DTC) of walking in MS. PURPOSE: We examined
walking performance, cognitive processing speed, and symptoms of fatigue,
depression, anxiety, and pain as correlates of DTC of walking in MS. METHODS: 82
persons with MS undertook a 6-min walk test (6MWT) and completed the Symbol Digit
Modalities Test (SDMT), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), Short-form of the McGill
Pain Questionnaire (SF-MPQ), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and
self-reported Expanded Disability Status Scale (SR-EDSS). The participants
completed 4 trials of walking at a self-selected pace on an electronic walkway
that recorded spatiotemporal parameters of gait. The first 2 trials were
performed without a cognitive task, whereas the second 2 trials were completed
while performing a modified Word List Generation task. RESULTS: There were
significant and large declines in gait performance with the addition of a
cognitive task for velocity (p<.001, eta2=.52), cadence (p<.001, eta2=.49), and
step length (p<.001, eta2=.23). 6MWT and SDMT scores correlated with DTC for
velocity (r=-.41, p<.001 and r=-.32, p<.001, respectively) and step length
(r=-.45, p<.001 and r=-.37, p<.001, respectively); there were no significant
associations between FSS, SF-MPQ, and HADS scores with the DTC of walking.
Regression analyses indicated that 6MW, but not SDMT, explained variance in DTC
for velocity (DeltaR2=.11, p<.001) and step length (DeltaR2=.13, p<.001), after
controlling for SR-EDSS scores. CONCLUSION: Walking performance might be a target
of interventions for reducing the DTC of walking in MS.
CI - Copyright (c) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS