title: Age-related differences in dual task performance: A cross-sectional study on women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Simultaneous performances of motor and attention-demanding tasks are common in activities of everyday life. The present cross-sectional study examined the changes and age-related differences on mobility performance with an additional cognitive or motor task, and evaluated the relative dual-task cost (DTC) on the motor performance in young, middle-aged and older women.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 30 young (mean age 25.12 ± 3.00 years), 30 middle-aged (mean age 47.82 ± 5.06 years) and 30 older women (mean age 72.74 ± 5.95 years) were recruited. Participants carried out: (i) single task: Timed Up & Go Test; (ii) cognitive dual-task: Timed Up & Go Test while counting backwards by three; (iii) manual dual-task: Timed Up & Go Test while carrying a glass of water. A repeated measures anova with between-factor as age groups and within-factor as tasks was carried out to assess the effect of aging on the performance of mobility tasks. DTC was calculated as ([performance in single-task - performance in dual-task] / performance in single task) × 100%. One-way ancova were carried out to compare the DTC among the three age groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant interaction between age groups and task (F4,172= 6.716, P < 0.001, partial η2= 0.135) was observed. Specifically, older women showed a worse mobility performance under dual-task condition compared with young and middle-aged groups. Furthermore, DTC differences in cognitive task were observed in older women compared with younger and middle-aged women (F2,86= 7.649, P < 0.001, partial η2= 0.151), but not in manual task.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dual-task conditions might affect mobility performance differently across the lifespan, and could be particularly challenging in older women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 315-321.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Brustio
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.|School of Electronic, Electrical and Systems Engineering, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, UK.
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Magistro
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.|SUISM, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Emanuela
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rabaglietti
authors.affiliation: SUISM, University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Monica E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Liubicich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017533:Marital Status; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Timed Up & Go Test; aging; dual-task; mobility; women