Compromised Brain Activity With Age During a Game-Like Dynamic Balance Task: Single- vs. Dual-Task Performance.

ABSTRACT: Background: Postural control and cognition are affected by aging. We investigated whether cognitive distraction influenced neural activity differently in young and older adults during a game-like mediolateral weight-shifting task with a personalized task load. Methods: Seventeen healthy young and 17 older adults performed a balance game, involving hitting virtual wasps, serial subtractions and a combination of both (dual-task). A motion analysis system estimated each subject's center of mass position. Cortical activity in five regions was assessed by measuring oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO₂) with a functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy system. Results: When adding cognitive load to the game, weight-shifting speed decreased irrespective of age, but older adults

SUBMITTER: de Rond V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8287632 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature