Influence of a concurrent cognitive task on foot pedal reaction time following traumatic, unilateral transtibial amputation.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of a secondary task on foot pedal reaction time, movement time and total response time in patients with transtibial amputation.


METHODS
Controlled trial without randomization.


METHODS
Ten patients with transtibial amputation and 13 age-matched controls.


METHODS
Foot pedal reaction time and movement time were measured for both legs under simple and dual-task conditions.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the influence of a secondary task on foot pedal reaction time, movement time and total response time in patients with transtibial amputation.


METHODS
Controlled trial without randomization.


METHODS
Ten patients with transtibial amputation and 13 age-matched controls.


METHODS
Foot pedal reaction time and movement time were measured for both legs under simple and dual-task conditions.


RESULTS
While mean simple reaction time was similar for both groups (258 (standard deviation (SD) 53) vs 239 (SD 34) ms), a group by reaction time condition interaction (p < 0.05)identified a disproportionately greater mean dual-task effect among patients with transtibial amputation (432 (SD 109)vs 317 (SD 63) ms), apparently affecting the prosthetic and intact legs equally (426 (SD 110) vs 438 (SD 107) ms). Among patients with transtibial amputation faster movement time was achieved with the intact leg (185 (SD 61) vs 232 (SD 58)ms, p < 0.0001). Compared with controls, patients with transtibialamputation demonstrated impaired mean movement time (142 (SD 37) vs 208 (SD 64) ms, p < 0.001) and total response time (420 (SD 80) vs 552 (SD 151) ms, p < 0.001) regard less of reaction time condition.


CONCLUSIONS
This study appears to have identified a functional manifestation of central reorganization following patients with transtibial amputation, affecting the prosthetic and intact lower limbs equally.
Clinical Evaluation and Research Unit, West Park Healthcare Centre, Toronto, Canada. tim.pauley@westpark.org
Tim
T
Pauley
Michael
M
Devlin
D000328:Adult; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001186:Artificial Limbs; D001334:Automobile Driving; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D011930:Reaction Time; D013977:Tibia