Article

Cognitive impairments in Parkinson disease (PD) manifest as deficits
in speed of processing, working memory, and executive function and attention
abilities. The gait impairment in PD is well documented to include reduced speed,
shortened step lengths, and increased step-to-step variability. However, there is
a paucity of research examining the relationship between overground walking and
cognitive performance in people with PD. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to examine
the relationship between both the mean and variability of gait spatiotemporal
parameters and cognitive performance across a broad range of cognitive domains.
DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used. METHODS: Thirty-five participants with
no dementia and diagnosed with idiopathic PD completed a battery of 12 cognitive
tests that yielded 3 orthogonal factors: processing speed, working memory, and
executive function and attention. Participants completed 10 trials of overground
walking (single-task walking) and 5 trials of overground walking while counting
backward by 3's (dual-task walking). RESULTS: All gait measures were impaired by
the dual task. Cognitive processing speed correlated with stride length and
walking speed. Executive function correlated with step width variability. There
were no significant associations with working memory. Regression models relating
speed of processing to gait spatiotemporal variables revealed that including
dual-task costs in the model significantly improved the fit of the model.
LIMITATIONS: Participants with PD were tested only in the on-medication state.
CONCLUSIONS: Different characteristics of gait are related to distinct types of
cognitive processing, which may be differentially affected by dual-task walking
due to the pathology of PD.
CI - (c) 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

Langue : ANGLAIS