Movement Disorders
Movement Disorders
5 years ago

Training dual tasks together or apart in Parkinson's disease: Results from the DUALITY trial

Alice Nieuwboer, Bastiaan R. Bloem, Jan C. M. Zijlmans, Liesbeth Münks, Wim Vandenberghe, Esther A. L. M. Molenaar, Samyra H. J. Keus, Carolien Strouwen
Background and Objectives: Many controversies surround the usefulness of dual-task training in Parkinson's disease (PD). This study (1) compared the efficacy of two different dual-task training programs for improving dual-task gait and (2) assessed the possible fall risk of such training. Methods: Patients (N = 121) with a diagnosis of PD (aged 65.93 [±9.22] years, Hoehn and Yahr stage II-III on-medication) were randomized to (1) a consecutive group in which gait and cognitive tasks were trained separately or (2) an integrated group in which gait and cognitive tasks were trained simultaneously. Both interventions involved 6 weeks of at-home physiotherapist-led training. Two baseline tests were performed as a 6-week control period before training. Posttests were performed immediately after training and at 12-week follow-up. Dual-task gait was assessed during trained and untrained secondary tasks to assess consolidation of learning. Fall risk was determined by a weekly telephone call for 24 weeks. Results: No significant time by group interactions were found, suggesting that both training modes had a similar effect on dual-task gait. Immediately after training, and not after the control period, significant improvements (P < .001) in dual-task gait velocity were found in all trained and untrained dual tasks. Improvements ranged between 7.75% and 13.44% when compared with baseline values and were retained at 12-week follow-up. No significant change in fall risk occurred in both study arms (P = .84). Conclusions: Consecutive and integrated dual-task training led to similar and sustained improvements in dual-task gait velocity without increasing fall risk. These novel findings support adoption of dual-task training in clinical practice. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society

Publisher URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/resolve/doi

DOI: 10.1002/mds.27014

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