title: Interest of dual-task-related gait changes in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Gait disorders in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) share similar characteristics found in pathologies presenting with higher-level gait disorders that have been specifically associated with gait changes during walking while simultaneously performing an attention-demanding task (i.e. dual tasking). The current study assessed the effect of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tapping on quantitative gait modification during single and dual tasking in patients with a suspicion of iNPH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 53 patients suspected of iNPH, 18 have been included in this study. Gait analysis during single- and dual-task condition (walking and backward counting) before and after tapping of 40 ml CSF has been performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gait speed (P < 0.01) and stride length (P < 0.05) were significantly improved during dual-task conditions after CSF tapping compared to the gait performance before spinal tapping, without such improvement for gait parameters during single-tasking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dual-tasking condition better reveals gait improvement after CSF tapping than single-tasking in patients suspected of iNPH.
authors.affiliation: Willy Taillard Laboratory of Kinesiology, Geneva University Hospitals and University of Geneva Care Services Directorate, Unit of Physiotherapy Research, Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Armand
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Allet
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Landis
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Beauchet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Assal
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Allali
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015170:Cerebrospinal Fluid Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006850:Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000379:methods*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology