Clinical trial NCT05367128: Effects of Dual Task Prioritization Training on Dual Task Walking in Older People
Official title: Effects of Dual Task Prioritization Training on Dual Task Walking in Older People: A Single-blinded Randomized Controlled Trial
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Healthy
Older People
Keywords: Older people
Prioritization strategy
Dual task walking
Dual task walking performance
Lead sponsor: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2022-05-10
Enrollment: 39
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 65
Standard ages: OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

Brief summary: The purpose of this single-blinded three-armed randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effect of different task prioritization during dual task training on dual task performance.

Detailed description: Introduction: Many activities of daily livings involve performing two tasks simultaneously, i.e. dual tasking. Performing dual task increases the demand on attentional resources, which may further decrease the dual task performance, especially in older adults. According to capacity sharing theory, the two tasks compete and influence with each other due to limited attention and information processing capacity. It has been noted that task prioritization during dual tasking may influence the dual task performance. Previous study indicated that supraposture-focus strategy resulted in better posture and task performance in older people. On the other hand, it is known that dual task training improved dual task performance. However, the effects of applying task prioritization during dual task training have not yet been investigated. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of different task prioritization during dual task training on dual task performance.

Methods: Participants will be randomized into three groups: posture-focus, supraposture-focus and control group. Participants will receive a total of 12 sessions of cognitive dual task training with different prioritization strategies, i.e. prioritization on posture, cognitive or neither task. Walking and task performance during dual task walking, executive function, and balance performance will be assessed before and after the interventions (pre- and post-test).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age ≥ 65 years old
* MMSE scores \> 24

Exclusion Criteria:

* Unstable health conditions
* Any neurological, psychological disease or diagnosis of learning disability which interferes the participation in this study

Primary outcomes:
measure: Dual task walking performance assessment- speed (m/s)
timeFrame: Change from baseline dual task walking speed and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Dual task walking performance assessment- cadence (steps/min)
timeFrame: Change from baseline dual task walking cadence and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Dual task walking performance assessment- stride length variability (CV, %)
timeFrame: Change from baseline dual task walking stride length variability and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Dual task walking performance assessment- stride time variability (CV, %)
timeFrame: Change from baseline dual task walking stride time variability and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Rate of dual task cost- gait speed (%)
timeFrame: Change from baseline dual task cost and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Trail Making Test
timeFrame: Change from baseline Trail Making Test and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Berg Balance Scale
timeFrame: Change from baseline Berg Balance Scale and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Single task walking performance assessment- speed (m/s)
timeFrame: Change from baseline single task walking speed and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Single task walking performance assessment- cadence (steps/min)
timeFrame: Change from baseline single task walking cadence and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Single task walking performance assessment- stride length variability (CV, %)
timeFrame: Change from baseline single task walking stride length variability and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Single task walking performance assessment- stride time variability (CV, %)
timeFrame: Change from baseline dual task walking stride time variability and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Cognitive dual task walking performance assessment- correct number (times)
timeFrame: Change from baseline cognitive dual task walking performance and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
measure: Motor dual task walking performance assessment- number of go (pieces)
timeFrame: Change from baseline motor dual task walking performance and up to 6 weeks (pre- and post-test)
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Taipei
country: Taiwan
facility: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
Study officials:
affiliation: National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University
name: Ray-Yau Wang, PhD
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: