Verbal fluency task affects gait in Parkinson's disease with motor freezing

• Published in: Journal of geriatric psychiatry and neurology Vol. 11; no. 4; p. 181
• Main Authors: Camicioli, R, Oken, B S, Sexton, G, Kaye, J A, Nutt, J G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 1998
• Subjects: Aged; Analysis of Variance; Antiparkinson Agents - pharmacology; Attention - physiology; Female; Gait - drug effects; Gait - physiology; Humans; Male; Movement Disorders - etiology; Movement Disorders - physiopathology; Neuropsychological Tests; Parkinson Disease - complications; Parkinson Disease - physiopathology; Word Association Tests
• ISSN: 0891-9887
• DOI: 10.1177/089198879901100403

We examined the effects of a simultaneous verbal fluency task on walking in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with freezing of gait (PD-F) compared to nonfreezing patients (PD-NF) or control subjects (C). Effects of antiparkinsonian medications on gait in PD-F were examined. PD-F patients exhibited a greater increase in the number of steps to complete the walk with verbal fluency, even when the effect of medication was taken into account (mean increase +/- SD): PD-F = 4.2 +/- 4.6, n = 10; PD-NF = 0.1 +/- 1.6, n = 9; C = 1.5 +/- 1.5, n = 19; P = .007. Medications improved walking in PD-F patients by decreasing the number of steps, the time to walk, and freezing. PD-F patients may be more dependent on attention for walking.