Dong Yuqi, Yang Chen, Chen Yan, Pan Feng, Wang Jinwei, Zhang Cui
Shandong Sport University, Jinan, China.
Chongqing No.1 Secondary School, Chongqing, China.
Geroscience. 2025 May 23. doi: 10.1007/s11357-025-01687-6.
The aim of this study is to explore the differences in cortical activation and gait performance during turning walking under cognitive dual-task conditions between young and older adults during cognitive-turning dual task walking, as well as variations in brain functional connectivity in this context. Seventeen young adults and seventeen older adults were included in the study. All participants completed two tasks: a figure-eight turning walk (single-task, ST) and a figure-eight turning walking while performing a digital alert cognitive task (dual-task, DT). Data collection was conducted using functional near-infrared spectroscopy and a three-dimensional motion capture system to extract and calculate the activation of motor and sensory cortices, functional connectivity, and gait parameters. Compared to ST, the cortical activation in the young adults was significantly increased during DT (p ≤ 0.041) and was higher than that of the older adults (p ≤ 0.003); the older adults showed no significant change in cortical activation, and the stride length decreased (p = 0.013) and was lower than that of the young adults (p = 0.023). Additionally, compared to ST, the functional connectivity between primary somatosensory cortex and other brain regions increased in the older adults during DT (p ≤ 0.035). The older adults are more likely to fall when performing cognitive-turning DT. One of the important reasons for the difference between them and young adults is the distinct brain modulation mechanisms employed by the two groups when facing challenging dual tasks. Enhancing brain functional connectivity may be a more effective strategy for the older adults to promoting dual-task performance. This study provides insights for aging-related steering disorders and more evidence for the influence of aging on neuro-motor control mechanism.
本研究旨在探讨年轻人和老年人在认知转向双重任务步行过程中，认知双任务条件下转弯行走时的皮质激活和步态表现差异，以及在此背景下大脑功能连接的变化。17名年轻人和17名老年人参与了本研究。所有参与者完成两项任务：8字形转弯行走（单任务，ST）和在执行数字警报认知任务时进行8字形转弯行走（双任务，DT）。使用功能近红外光谱和三维运动捕捉系统进行数据收集，以提取和计算运动和感觉皮层的激活、功能连接和步态参数。与ST相比，年轻人在DT期间皮质激活显著增加（p≤0.041），且高于老年人（p≤0.003）；老年人皮质激活无显著变化，步幅减小（p = 0.013），且低于年轻人（p = 0.023）。此外，与ST相比，老年人在DT期间初级体感皮层与其他脑区之间的功能连接增加（p≤0.
