Cognitive and Motor Mechanisms Underlying Older Adults ’ Ability to Divide Attention While Walking

Background. An impaired ability to allocate attention to gait during dual-task situations is a powerful predictor of falls. Objective. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relative con-tributions of participant characteristics and motor and cognitive factors to the ability to walk while performing cognitive tasks. The impact of cognitive task complexity on walking also was examined. Design. A cross-sectional, exploratory study design was used. Methods. Seventy-seven community-dwelling older adults with a mean (SD) age of 75.5 (5.8) years completed comprehensive testing. Participant characteristics were assessed via questionnaires. The motor test battery included measures of strength (force-generating capacity), gait speed, and static and dynamic balance. The cognitive abilities test battery assessed psychomotor and perceptual speed, recall and working memory, verbal and spatial ability, and attention (sustained, selective, and divided). Time to walk while performing 4 cognitive tasks was measured. In addition, dual-task costs (DTCs) were calculated. Multiple hierarchical regressions explored walkin