Can people with Parkinson's disease improve dual tasking when walking?

Does providing real-time augmented feedback affect the performance of repeated lower limb loading to exhaustion?

“…Although a deterioration in gait pattern has been demonstrated when performing dual tasks 22 , it has also been demonstrated that gait training in patients with Parkinson's disease, using a visual cue or attentional strategy, led to an improvement in stride length by instructing the patient to focus their attention on the stride length. 23 The finding by Brauer and Morris (2010) in patients with Parkinson's disease is an example of how introduction of a dual task improved motor performance, however there was a direct association between the instruction and the motor task. In contrast, attentional switching has been shown to impair responses during a task which demanded cognitive effort during performance of ongoing motor task responses.…”

“…Focussed attention on a single cue may provide adequate sensory information to allow dual or multitasking as M a n u s c r i p t 13 demonstrated in patients with Parkinson's Disease. 23 In the current study, participants were not instructed to prioritise one cue over another. Therefore, it is plausible that a participant used focussed attention on a single cue, such as tactile or visual feedback for achieving a target hop height, coordinating the goals of achieving the target hop height and cadence by regularly switching their attention to the audible cue for cadence, as a check or corrective strategy.…”

Dual task training as a therapeutic strategy in neurologic physical therapy: a literature review

“…In spite of recent studies suggesting that different tasks generate different interferences, there is still no consensus in the literature that indicates the superiority of cognitive over motor tasks in improving dual task performance. 12,33,42 Only two studies used motor activities as secondary tasks. 25,27 In the study by Yang et al 27 they used Swiss balls and basketballs, involving activities of gripping, handling, and throwing during ambulation.…”

“…22 Similar results were found in a study conducted with individuals with Parkinson's, in which improvement of visual spatial performance was observed after verbal and numeric task training. 42 The transference of ability is important because it is impossible to cover all tasks of daily living that can be performed while walking in one dual task training. 42 The present study provides evidence of the efficacy and effectiveness of dual task training and its repercussions on the gait, cognition, and transference skills for learning, automation, and retention capacity.…”

“…42 The transference of ability is important because it is impossible to cover all tasks of daily living that can be performed while walking in one dual task training. 42 The present study provides evidence of the efficacy and effectiveness of dual task training and its repercussions on the gait, cognition, and transference skills for learning, automation, and retention capacity. Despite the advances provided by reviewing those articles, it is also important to consider that several limitations were found.…”