Effects of Cognitive-Linguistic Load on Measurements of Gait in Healthy Elderly

• Other Authors: Cicchitto, Derek (authoraut)
• Format: Others
• Language: English; English
• Published: Florida State University
• Subjects: Communication
• Online Access: http://purl.flvc.org/fsu/fd/FSU_migr_etd-3607

This study was conducted in an effort to gain insight on falls, an important issue facing the elderly population. Falls are the leading cause of injury-related visits to emergency departments in the United States and the primary etiology of accidental deaths in persons over the age of 65 years (Fuller, 2002.) This investigation analyzed gait measurements and cognitive-linguistic processing in healthy elderly participants. The participants involved 20 healthy elderly individuals. They were required to walk across a mat known as the GAITRite Walkway System. This system was used to record gait measurements and to generate a Functional Ambulation Profile (FAP). FAP is a composite score derived from a formula that includes several critical parameters of gait that have been shown to be a valid indicator of risk for falls. Several conditions were conducted in which participants simultaneously walked across the mat while performing cognitivelinguistic tasks that varied in complexity such as counting by ones (low cognitive linguistic task) and reciting an alpha-numeric sequences (high cognitive linguistic task). Results indicated several changes in spatial/temporal gait parameters, primarily during high-cognitive linguistic tasks. These changes in gait measures indicated participant usage of an altered and perhaps more cautious walking style. Scores for FAP were found to be significantly below normal range during high cognitive-linguistic tasks as well as significantly changed from a control condition of walking with no talking. Normal FAP scores range from 95 to 100. These findings suggested that reciting alpha-numeric sequences simultaneously during walking increased the predictive risk for falls as measured by the FAP. The information offered insight into the performance of dual tasks or increased cognitive-linguistic load as possible contributors to falls, and highlighted the importance of limiting distractions or task competition for elderly individuals during ambulation. === A Thesis submitted to the Department of Communication Disorders in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science. === Summer Semester, 2007. === January 5, 2007. === Cognitive, Linguistic, Elderly, Parkinson's, Gait, FAP, Functional Ambulation Profile === Includes bibliographical references. === Leonard L. LaPointe, Professor Directing Thesis; Gary Heald, Outside Committee Member; Julie Stierwalt, Committee Member.