Measuring cardiopulmonary parameters during dual-task while walking

Einat Kodesh; Rachel Kizony

doi:10.1515/jbcpp-2013-0123

Article

Measuring cardiopulmonary parameters during dual-task while walking

Einat Kodesh and Rachel Kizony

Published/Copyright: October 11, 2013

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From the journal Journal of Basic and Clinical Physiology and Pharmacology Volume 25 Issue 2

Abstract

Background: The purpose of the present study was to examine the metabolic cost of dual-task performance of a cognitive task while walking under two conditions: comfortable and fast gait speed.

Methods: Twenty-five healthy young adults (25.7±3.05 years) walked over-ground at a comfortable self-selected speed and on a treadmill at a fast speed with and without performing a cognitive task. Cardiopulmonary parameters were measured by the metabolic K4b² system, gait parameters were measured with GaitRite and cognitive performance was expressed as percentage of correct answers to a set of riddles.

Results and conclusions: During rest, cognitive load resulted in a metabolic cost indicated by a significant increase in VO₂ (p<0.01). Breathing rate increased significantly during dual-tasking in both walking conditions (p<0.01 for both). Fifty-two percent of the participants decreased gait speed during the dual-task condition while walking over-ground, accompanied by a significant decrease in tidal volume (p<0.01) without a decrease in breathing and heart rates. More than 70% of the participants improved or maintained their cognitive performance while walking (over-ground, 72% and treadmill, 75%), independently from the alterations in gait speed. The current findings confirm that mental processing increases energy demands while sitting. In addition, the results contribute new insight into dual-task paradigm research, by showing that breathing rate is sensitive to an additional cognitive load while walking, even in young healthy adults. Moreover, the participants were able to adjust the strategy they used to cope with cognitive load while walking over-ground when gait speed was imposed.

Keywords: cognitive load; dual-task cost; gait; oxygen consumption

Corresponding author: Einat Kodesh, Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Social Welfare and Health Sciences, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel, Phone: +972-4 8249065, Fax: +972-4 8288140, E-mail: ekodesh@univ.haifa.ac.il; ekodesh@gmail.com

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Boris Sokolovski and Andrei Krasovsky for their assistance with data collection. This research was supported by seed money grants from the Research Authority of the University.

Conflict of interest statement

Authors’ conflict of interest disclosure: The authors stated that there are no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this article.

Research funding: None declared.

Employment or leadership: None declared.

Honorarium: None declared

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Received: 2013-8-15

Accepted: 2013-9-4

Published Online: 2013-10-11

Published in Print: 2014-5-1

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/jbcpp-2013-0123

Keywords for this article

cognitive load; dual-task cost; gait; oxygen consumption