THE EFFECT OF DUAL TASK ON CLINICAL BALANCE PERFORMANCE IN ATAXIA PATIENTS

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of concurrent cognitive

and motor tasks on clinical balance performance of ataxic and healthy subjects.

Methods: A total of 50 subjects with and without ataxia were included. Timed performances

during Single Leg Stance (OLS), Tandem Stance (TS), 360 degrees of Rotation, Timed Up &

Go (TUG) and Four Square Step (FSS) tests were recorded without task, and with concurrent

cognitive and motor tasks.

Results: Ataxic and healthy subjects had similar SLS and TS test performances, applied with

cognitive tasks. Motor task negatively affected the performances of the ataxic patients.

Motor and cognitive tasks during 360 DR and cognitive task during TUG tests reduced the

performances of both groups. During FSS test, motor task reduced the performances of

ataxic patients, while both tasks reduced the performances of the healthy subjects.

Discussion: The results point out the effects of cognitive and motor tasks during static

and dynamic balance tests in ataxic and healthy subjects. These findings are considered

to be useful while evaluating the balance function of the ataxic patients, and focus on the

necessity of including concurrent tasks during the balance tests.

Keywords

• Ataxia,dual-task,balance,stabilization

ATAKSİLİ HASTALARDA ÇİFT GÖREVİN KLİNİK DENGE PERFORMANSINA ETKİSİ

Öz

Amaç: Çalışmanın amacı, ataksili ve sağlıklı olgularda ek bilişsel ve motor görevlerin klinik

denge performansına etkisini araştırmaktır.

Yöntem: Ataksi tanısı olan ve olmayan toplam 50 olgu çalışmaya alınmıştır. Tek ayak duruş,

tandem duruş süreleri, 360 derece dönme, zamanlı kalk yürü ve dört kare adım testini

tamamlama süreleri görevsiz, ek bilişsel görevle ve ek motor görevle tekrar edilerek süre

kaydedilmiştir.

Sonuçlar: Ataksili ve sağlıklı olguların bilişsel görev sırasındaki tek ayak duruş ve tandem duruş

performansları benzerdir. Motor ek görev ataksili olguların test performanslarını olumsuz

etkilemiştir. 360 derece dönme testi performansı her iki grupta da hem bilişsel hem motor

görevlerden, zamanlı kalk yürü testi performansı her iki grupta da bilişsel görevlerden olumsuz

etkilenmiştir. Dört kare adım testi performansı ise ataksili olgularda sadece motor ek

görevlerden etkilenirken, sağlıklı olgularda hem motor hem bilişsel görevler sırasında anlamlı

olarak bozulmuştur.

Tartışma: Sonuç olarak; motor ve bilişsel görevler ataksili ve sağlıklı olguların statik ve dinamik

denge testleri üzerine etkilidir. Bu sonuçlar ataksili hastaların denge fonksiyonlarının

değerlendirilmesinde ek görevlerin kullanılmasının gerekliliğini göstermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Ataksi,çift görev,denge,stabilizasyon

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