title: Walking execution is not affected by divided attention in patients with multiple sclerosis with no disability, but there is a motor planning impairment.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We analysed the cognitive influence on walking in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients, in the absence of clinical disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  A case-control study was conducted with 12 MS patients with no disability and 12 matched healthy controls. Subjects were referred for completion a timed walk test of 10 m and a 3D-kinematic analysis. Participants were instructed to walk at a comfortable speed in a dual-task (arithmetic task) condition, and motor planning was measured by mental chronometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Scores of walking speed and cadence showed no statistically significant differences between the groups in the three conditions. The dual-task condition showed an increase in the double support duration in both groups. Motor imagery analysis showed statistically significant differences between real and imagined walking in patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MS patients with no disability did not show any influence of divided attention on walking execution. However, motor planning was overestimated as compared with real walking.
authors: Programa de Pós-graduação em Neurologia, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
authors: Leandro Alberto Calazans
authors: LA
authors: Nogueira
authors: Luciano Teixeira Dos
authors: LT
authors: Santos
authors: Pollyane Galinari
authors: PG
authors: Sabino
authors: Regina Maria Papais
authors: RM
authors: Alvarenga
authors: Luiz Claudio Santos
authors: LC
authors: Thuler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*