Age-Related Deficits of Dual-Task Walking: A Review
This review summarizes our present knowledge about elderly people's problems with walking. We highlight the plastic changes in the brain that allow a partial compensation of these age-related deficits and discuss the associated costs and limitations. Experimental evidence for the crucial role o...
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2012-01-01
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Series: | Neural Plasticity |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/131608 |
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doaj-7e6d63abb5f94aedb7d9db4a91797af72020-11-24T20:52:40ZengHindawi LimitedNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432012-01-01201210.1155/2012/131608131608Age-Related Deficits of Dual-Task Walking: A ReviewRainer Beurskens0Otmar Bock1Institute of Physiology and Anatomy, German Sport University, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, GermanyInstitute of Physiology and Anatomy, German Sport University, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, 50933 Cologne, GermanyThis review summarizes our present knowledge about elderly people's problems with walking. We highlight the plastic changes in the brain that allow a partial compensation of these age-related deficits and discuss the associated costs and limitations. Experimental evidence for the crucial role of executive functions and working memory is presented, leading us to the hypothesis that it is difficult for seniors to coordinate two streams of visual information, one related to navigation through visually defined space, and the other to a visually demanding second task. This hypothesis predicts that interventions aimed at the efficiency of visuovisual coordination in the elderly will ameliorate their deficits in dual-task walking.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/131608 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Rainer Beurskens Otmar Bock |
spellingShingle |
Rainer Beurskens Otmar Bock Age-Related Deficits of Dual-Task Walking: A Review Neural Plasticity |
author_facet |
Rainer Beurskens Otmar Bock |
author_sort |
Rainer Beurskens |
title |
Age-Related Deficits of Dual-Task Walking: A Review |
title_short |
Age-Related Deficits of Dual-Task Walking: A Review |
title_full |
Age-Related Deficits of Dual-Task Walking: A Review |
title_fullStr |
Age-Related Deficits of Dual-Task Walking: A Review |
title_full_unstemmed |
Age-Related Deficits of Dual-Task Walking: A Review |
title_sort |
age-related deficits of dual-task walking: a review |
publisher |
Hindawi Limited |
series |
Neural Plasticity |
issn |
2090-5904 1687-5443 |
publishDate |
2012-01-01 |
description |
This review summarizes our present knowledge about elderly people's problems with walking. We highlight the plastic changes in the brain that allow a partial compensation of these age-related deficits and discuss the associated costs and limitations. Experimental evidence for the crucial role of executive functions and working memory is presented, leading us to the hypothesis that it is difficult for seniors to coordinate two streams of visual information, one related to navigation through visually defined space, and the other to a visually demanding second task. This hypothesis predicts that interventions aimed at the efficiency of visuovisual coordination in the elderly will ameliorate their deficits in dual-task walking. |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2012/131608 |
work_keys_str_mv |
AT rainerbeurskens agerelateddeficitsofdualtaskwalkingareview AT otmarbock agerelateddeficitsofdualtaskwalkingareview |
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1716798977252261888 |