Division of Movement and Training Sciences/Biomechanics of Sport, University of Duisburg-Essen, Gladbecker Str. 182, 45141, Essen, Germany.
Department of Health and Social Affairs, FHM Bielefeld-University of Applied Sciences, Bielefeld, Germany.
BMC Res Notes. 2022 May 5;15(1):156. doi: 10.1186/s13104-022-06034-y.
It has been shown that variable compared to fixed task prioritization during dual task practice more effectively improves motor (i.e., postural control) and cognitive (i.e., memory) performance in older adults. However, it is unclear whether this finding is also valid in young adults. Thus, the present study examined the effect of fixed (allocate equal priority on both tasks) versus variable (vary priority between both tasks) priority during short-term motor-cognitive dual task practice on single and dual task performance in healthy young adults (age range: 20-30 years).
During two days of practice, significant improvements of motor (i.e., balance task: reduced root mean square error; p < 001, η = .72) and cognitive (i.e., arithmetic task: increased serial three subtractions; p < .001, η = .78) task performance were observed and that was irrespective of group ("fixed priority" and "variable priority"). Further, the statistical analysis of post-practice single and dual task performance revealed no significant differences between groups, irrespective of task (i.e., motor or cognitive). This indicates that in young as opposed to old adults, single and dual task performance improvements are independent of task prioritization (i.e., fixed or variable priority) during short-term motor-cognitive dual task practice.
研究表明，与固定任务优先级相比，在双重任务练习中采用变量优先级可以更有效地提高老年人的运动（即姿势控制）和认知（即记忆）表现。然而，目前尚不清楚这一发现是否也适用于年轻人。因此，本研究考察了在短期运动认知双重任务练习中采用固定（为两项任务分配相同的优先级）与变量（在两项任务之间调整优先级）优先级对健康年轻成年人（年龄范围：20-30 岁）的单一和双重任务表现的影响。
在两天的练习中，观察到运动（即平衡任务：均方根误差降低；p<001，η=0.72）和认知（即算术任务：连续三个减数增加；p<0.001，η=0.78）任务表现均有显著改善，且与组（“固定优先级”和“变量优先级”）无关。此外，对练习后单一和双重任务表现的统计分析表明，无论任务（运动或认知）如何，组间均无显著差异。这表明，与老年人相比，在短期运动认知双重任务练习中，任务优先级（固定或变量优先级）对年轻人的单一和双重任务表现的改善没有影响。
