Effects of motor and cognitive manipulation on the dual-task costs of center of pressure displacement in children, adolescents and young adults: A cross-sectional study.

Abstract

Dual-task paradigms allow to establish a relationship between motor and cognitive performance. The attentional resources needed to accomplish dual-tasks are influenced by age and task complexity. We investigated the dual-task costs for center of pressure displacement following manipulated motor and cognitive tasks in children, adolescents and young-adults. Thirty children, 24 adolescents and 32 young-adults performed motor (postural stability) and cognitive (arithmetic) tasks under single and dual-task conditions. Complexity was manipulated by changing the base of support (standard, narrow, standard_on_foam, narrow_on_foam) for motor tasks and the difficulty level of cognitive tasks via serial subtraction (by 5 and by 3). Dual-task costs were calculated based on area and velocity of center of pressure. Dual-task costs based on area during easy cognitive tasks were lower for children than young-adults. Under all the cognitive conditions, dual-task costs were lower on narrow than on standard bases of support. For all the tested bases of support, dual-task costs based on velocity were lower for more complex cognitive tasks than for easy tasks. In children, more than in adults, dual-task demanded central adaptations which increased area of center of pressure displacement. Mechanical reasons, which might limit the increase in center of pressure displacement when dual-tasking, may explain the lower dual-task costs in narrow bases compared to standard ones. Possibly, high cognitive demands may lead the participants to prioritize the motor task to keep balance, resulting in smaller increases in center of pressure displacement velocity during dual-task when compared to easier cognitive tasks.