Samford University, Department of Kinesiology, Birmingham, AL, 35229, United States.
Samford University, Department of Kinesiology, Birmingham, AL, 35229, United States.
Gait Posture. 2021 Jul;88:180-184. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2021.05.024. Epub 2021 Jun 3.
Many pregnant women report that their memory is impaired compared to non-pregnancy, but results of studies of cognitive abilities are mixed. The effect of pregnancy on dual tasking, or performance of two tasks simultaneously, has not been studied, however.
What is the effect of walking overground at a self-selected speed while also performing a cognitive task on gait and cognitive performance during 3rd trimester of pregnancy compared to non-pregnant controls?
A total of n = 22 3rd trimester pregnant women (mean 33.3 ± 3.3 weeks gestation, age 32.1 ± 4.7 years) and n = 21 non-pregnant controls (age 31.9 ± 3.3 years) were recruited to participate. All participants performed single task walking on a GAITRite gait analysis system and performed three cognitive tests while walking: serial 3 and 7 subtraction tests and a phoneme monitoring test. Participants completed the same assessments while seated and order of the testing was counterbalanced. Dual task cost (DTC) was calculated using the formula (Single task score - Dual task score)/Single task score)*100. Independent t-tests or Mann Whitney U tests were used to compare the two groups depending on normality of data.
There were no significant differences in cognitive test performance between control and pregnant women while walking or seated (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences between groups for DTC during any cognitive tests, but DTC was significantly greater for walking velocity in pregnant women compared to controls for serial 3 (p < 0.001) and serial 7 (p = 0.005) but not phoneme monitoring (p = 0.061).
Pregnant women had elevated cost of dual tasking, though the decrements were not in cognitive tests but in gait, specifically with greater DTC of walking velocity. This suggests that pregnant women modify their walking velocity to preserve cognitive function during activities requiring focus on both cognitive and physical tasks.
许多孕妇报告称，与非孕期相比，她们的记忆力下降，但认知能力研究的结果却存在差异。然而，目前尚未研究怀孕对双重任务的影响，即同时执行两项任务的能力。
与非孕期对照组相比，妊娠晚期（平均 33.3 ± 3.3 周妊娠，年龄 32.1 ± 4.7 岁）孕妇以自身选择的速度在地面上行走并同时执行认知任务时，对步态和认知表现的影响如何？
共招募了 22 名妊娠晚期孕妇（平均 33.3 ± 3.3 周妊娠，年龄 32.1 ± 4.7 岁）和 21 名非孕期对照组（年龄 31.9 ± 3.3 岁）参与本研究。所有参与者都在 GAITRite 步态分析系统上进行了单任务行走，并在行走时进行了三项认知测试：连续 3 次和 7 次减法测试以及语音监测测试。参与者在坐姿下完成相同的评估，测试顺序采用平衡设计。双任务成本（DTC）通过公式（单任务得分-双任务得分）/单任务得分）*100 计算得出。根据数据的正态性，采用独立 t 检验或 Mann-Whitney U 检验比较两组之间的差异。
在行走或坐姿时，对照组和孕妇的认知测试表现没有显著差异（p > 0.05）。在任何认知测试中，两组之间的 DTC 均无显著差异，但在连续 3 次和连续 7 次减法测试中，孕妇的行走速度 DTC 显著高于对照组（p < 0.001 和 p = 0.005），而在语音监测测试中则无显著差异（p = 0.061）。
孕妇的双重任务成本增加，尽管认知测试中没有表现出认知能力下降，但步态却有所下降，尤其是在需要同时关注认知和身体任务的活动中，行走速度的 DTC 增加。这表明孕妇会调整自己的行走速度，以在需要同时关注认知和身体任务的活动中保持认知功能。
