Reduction of Dual-task Costs by Noninvasive Modulation of Prefrontal Activity in Healthy Elders

■ Dual tasking (e.g., walking or standing while performing a cognitive task) disrupts performance in one or both tasks, and such dual-task costs increase with aging into senescence. Dual tasking activates a network of brain regions including pFC. We therefore hypothesized that facilitation of prefrontal cortical activity via transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) would reduce dual-task costs in older adults. Thirtyseven healthy older adults completed two visits during which dual tasking was assessed before and after 20 min of real or sham tDCS targeting the left pFC. Trials of single-task standing, walking, and verbalized serial subtractions were completed, along with dual-task trials of standing or walking while performing serial subtractions. Dual-task costs were calculated as the percent change in markers of gait and postural control and serial subtraction performance, from single to dual tasking. Significant dual-task costs to standing, walking, and serial subtraction pe...

• Type: Journal
• Year: 2016
• Where: JOCN
• Authors: Brad Manor, Junhong Zhou, Azizah Jor'dan, Jue Zhang, Jing Fang, Alvaro Pascual-Leone
• Keywords: JOCN 2016