Age-related differences in dual task performance: A cross-sectional study on women

Aim: Simultaneous performances of motor and attention-demanding tasks are common in activities of everyday life. The present cross-sectional study examined the changes and age-related differences on mobility performance with an additional cognitive or motor task, and evaluated the relative dual-task cost (DTC) on the motor performance in young, middle-aged and older women. Methods: A total of 30 young (mean age 25.12 ± 3.00 years), 30 middle-aged (mean age 47.82 ± 5.06 years) and 30 older women (mean age 72.74 ± 5.95 years) were recruited. Participants carried out: (i) single task: Timed Up & Go Test; (ii) cognitive dual-task: Timed Up & Go Test while counting backwards by three; (iii) manual dual-task: Timed Up & Go Test while carrying a glass of water. A repeated measures ANOVA with between-factor as age groups and within-factor as tasks was carried out to assess the effect of aging on the performance of mobility tasks. DTC was calculated as ([performance in single-task − performance in dual-task] / performance in single task) × 100%. One-way ANCOVA were carried out to compare the DTC among the three age groups. Results: A significant interaction between age groups and task (F4,172 = 6.716, P < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.135) was observed. Specifically, older women showed a worse mobility performance under dual-task condition compared with young and middle-aged groups. Furthermore, DTC differences in cognitive task were observed in older women compared with younger and middle-aged women (F2,86 = 7.649, P < 0.001, partial η2 = 0.151), but not in manual task. Conclusion: Dual-task conditions might affect mobility performance differently across the lifespan, and could be particularly challenging in older women.