Altered prefrontal cortex responses in older adults with subjective memory complaints and dementia during dual‐task gait: An fNIRS study

Abstract

People with cognitive impairments show deficits during physical performances such as gait, in particular during cognitively challenging conditions (i.e. dual-task gait [DTG]). However, it is unclear if people at risk of dementia, such as those with subjective memory complaints (SMC), also display gait and central deficits associated with DTG. In this study, we investigated the effects of single-and dual-task gait (STG and DTG), on left prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation in elderly people with subjective memory complaints (SMC) and Dementia. A total of 58 older adults (aged 65-94 years; 26 Healthy; 23 SMC; 9 Dementia) were recruited. Gait spatiotemporal characteristics (i.e. stride velocity and length) were assessed using an instrumented walkway during STG and DTG. Single-channel functional near-infrared spectroscopy over the left PFC was used to measure changes in oxyhaemoglobin (O 2 Hb) during gait. Stride velocity and length during STG (all p < .05) and DTG (all p < .000) were significantly impaired in people with Dementia compared to Healthy and SMC individuals. No differences were observed between Healthy and SMC. For STG, a greater increase in O 2 Hb (p < .05) was observed in those with Dementia compared to the Healthy and SMC, while no differences were observed between Healthy and SMC. A significant increase and decline in O 2 Hb was observed during DTG in the SMC and Dementia groups, respectively, compared to Healthy. Our findings indicate an altered pattern of cerebral haemodynamic response of the left PFC in DTG in people with SMC and Dementia, which may suggest that central changes precede functional impairments in people with SMC.

A Novel Game-Based Intelligent Test for Detecting Elderly Cognitive Function Impairment

“…Their study confirmed that BLS training scores relate to the fNIRS parameters of the prefrontal cortex region [ 37 ]. Teo et al took 26 healthy older adults, 23 older adults with memory impairment, and 9 older adults with dementia as subjects and proved that the dual-task gait can be used for memory impairment, but compared to healthy people, O2Hb increased significantly, while those with dementia decreased significantly [ 39 ]. When the brain is activated, the neurovascular coupling response induced has been confirmed in animal experiments [ 40 ].…”

The relationship between spatiotemporal gait parameters and cognitive function in healthy adults: protocol for a cross-sectional study

“…Killeen et al reported that minimum toe clearance decreased while a Stroop Color-Word test was administered under experimental conditions [ 53 ]. In addition, there have been several reports about such interferences, assessed using the well-known dual task paradigm [ 54 – 56 ], considered to be compensatory mechanisms and/or overlapping functional localization [ 57 ]. These common neural mechanisms in walking and cognition are related to changes in walking characteristics that precede cognitive decline.…”

The Relationship Between Spatio-temporal Gait Parameters and Cognitive Function: Protocol for a Cross-sectional Study

“…Killeen et al, 2017, reported that minimum toe clearance decreased in the condition during the Stroop Color-Word Test [47]. In addition, there have been several reports about these interferences, which is well-known as a dual task paradigm [48][49][50],…”