title: Cognition and dual-task performance in older adults with Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with neurodegenerative diseases usually experience significant functional deficits. Older adults with Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) may suffer from both motor and cognitive impairments, making them especially vulnerable to poor dual-task performance.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the dual-task cost of walking in subjects with PD and AD exposed to motor and cognitive distracters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 126 older adults comprising three groups: PD (n=43), AD (n=38), and control (n=45). The subjects were evaluated using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test administered with motor and cognitive distracters. Mixed-design analysis of variance (ANOVA) with cognition as a covariant factor was used to test the possible main effects of dual-task on motion. A 5% threshold for significance was set, with a 95% confidence interval (CI). The partial eta square (n(2)p) analysis was included to estimate the magnitude of effect.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Examining the effects for dual-task, ANOVA revealed the main effect for group×task interactions (F=13.09; P=0.001; n(2)p =0.178), for task (F=8.186; P=0.001; n(2)p =0.063) but not for group (F=2.954; P=0.056; n(2)p =0.047). Cognition applied as a covariant factor indicated interference on dual-tasks (F=30.43; P=0.001; n(2)p =0.201).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings of this study suggest that dual-task interference is a particularly noticeable problem in PD and AD, affecting subjects' ability to appropriately adapt to environmental challenges.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Biological and Health Science Center, Campo Grande, MS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Christofoletti
authors.affiliation: State University of São Paulo, Bioscience Institute, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Larissa Pires de
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.affiliation: State University of Campinas, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Beinotti
authors.affiliation: State University of Campinas, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Guilherme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Borges
keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; Parkinson’s disease; cognition; motion; task performance and analysis
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