The division of visual attention affects the transition point from level walking to stair descent in healthy, active older adults

• Published in: Experimental gerontology Vol. 50; pp. 26 - 33
• Main Authors: Telonio, Alessandro, Blanchet, Sophie, Maganaris, Constantinos N., Baltzopoulos, Vasilios, Villeneuve, Sophie, McFadyen, Bradford J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Inc 01.02.2014; Elsevier
• Subjects: Accidental Falls; Adult; Aged; Aging - physiology; Aging - psychology; Attention - physiology; Biomechanical Phenomena - physiology; Cognitive science; Dual task; Elderly; Executive function; Executive Function - physiology; Female; Gait - physiology; Humans; Locomotion; Male; Middle Aged; Neuropsychological Tests; Photic Stimulation - methods; Psychomotor Performance; Stair gait; Walking - physiology; Walking - psychology; Young Adult; DTCs; Locomotion; Stair gait; Executive function; MFC; Elderly; Dual task; dual task costs; minimal foot clearance

Stair descent is a frequent daily activity that poses great risks for injury due to falling. Very little is understood about the attentional demands of stair descent and their changes with aging. The present study compared combined locomotor and cognitive functioning during different phases of stair...