Scientific article
English

Impact of impaired executive function on gait stability

Published inDementia and geriatric cognitive disorders, vol. 26, no. 4, p. 364-369
Publication date2008
Abstract

BACKGROUND: Executive dysfunction contributes to gait changes, but the precise mechanisms are still poorly understood. Dual-task-related gait changes depend in part on the capacity to appropriately allocate attention between tasks performed simultaneously and are mainly related to executive deficits. This study aimed to describe the impact of dysexecutive function on gait stability in subjects with dementia using dual tasking. METHODS: Mean values and coefficients of variation of stride time while only walking and while walking and backward counting (dual tasking) were measured using the GAITRite System in 18 subjects with dementia and impaired executive function (IEF), in 16 subjects with dementia and intact executive function, and in 22 nondemented subjects as controls. RESULTS: Stride time, and particularly its variability, significantly increased while performing dual tasking (p < 0.05). IEF was related to both stride time and stride time variability during walking only and to even more gait changes, while dual tasking compared to nondemented subjects and demented subjects without IEF. CONCLUSIONS: These findings confirm the role of executive function in dual tasking, but also strongly suggest their importance for gait stability.

Keywords
  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology/psychology
  • Biomechanics
  • Dementia/physiopathology/psychology
  • Female
  • Gait Disorders, Neurologic/physiopathology/psychology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Postural Balance/physiology
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Psychomotor Performance/physiology
  • Regression Analysis
  • Walking/physiology
Citation (ISO format)
ALLALI, Gilles et al. Impact of impaired executive function on gait stability. In: Dementia and geriatric cognitive disorders, 2008, vol. 26, n° 4, p. 364–369. doi: 10.1159/000162358
Main files (1)
Article (Accepted version)
accessLevelRestricted
Identifiers
ISSN of the journal1421-9824
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