The association between dual-task walking and counting responses and cognitive function and disability after severe head injury: A preliminary study

• Published in: Neuropsychological rehabilitation Vol. 31; no. 4; pp. 570 - 582
• Main Authors: Maclean, Linda M., McSkimming, Paula, McMillan, Tom M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 01.05.2021; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Cognitive ability; cognitive function; Cognitive functioning; Cognitive impairment; Cognitive responses; Counting; Dementia; Dementia disorders; Disability; Dual-task; Head injuries; Injuries; Mini-Mental State Examination; Neuropsychological assessment; Primary care; severe head injury; Short term memory; Task performance; Triage; Walking; walking and counting; Walking speed; cognitive function; walking and counting; Dual-task; severe head injury; disability
• ISSN: 0960-2011; 1464-0694
• DOI: 10.1080/09602011.2020.1716812

Adverse outcomes after severe head injury (SHI) can be difficult to detect in primary care and other settings where there is not specialist expertise for interpretation. Walking and counting dual-task (DT) measures are strongly associated with cognitive impairment and dementia and this preliminary study investigates whether performance on DT walking and counting tasks are associated with cognitive function and disability in 125 participants who sustained a SHI on average 26 years before. Single Task (ST) walking (speed over 6 metres) and ST counting (Serial 3s) and DT performance of concurrent walking and Serial 3s were compared with neuropsychological, wellbeing and disability tests for strength of association. The strongest correlations were between ST Correct Cognitive Responses (CCRs) and MMSE (rho = 0.435), DT CCRs and Short-term Memory Binding Tests (STMBT) binding accuracy (rho = 0,409) and DT CCRs and STROOP (rho = 0.420), but associations were less strong with disability. Developing this test, as a cost-efficient screening tool for triage to onward referral for neuropsychological assessment, holds promise, but requires further research.