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Interest of dual‐task‐related gait changes in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus
Author(s) -
Armand S.,
Allet L.,
Landis T.,
Beauchet O.,
Assal F.,
Allali G.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2010.03242.x
Subject(s) - gait , medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation , stride , tapping , cerebrospinal fluid , finger tapping , gait analysis , physical therapy , audiology , management , economics
Background: Gait disorders in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) share similar characteristics found in pathologies presenting with higher‐level gait disorders that have been specifically associated with gait changes during walking while simultaneously performing an attention‐demanding task (i.e. dual tasking). The current study assessed the effect of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tapping on quantitative gait modification during single and dual tasking in patients with a suspicion of iNPH. Methods: Of 53 patients suspected of iNPH, 18 have been included in this study. Gait analysis during single‐ and dual‐task condition (walking and backward counting) before and after tapping of 40 ml CSF has been performed. Results: Gait speed ( P < 0.01) and stride length ( P < 0.05) were significantly improved during dual‐task conditions after CSF tapping compared to the gait performance before spinal tapping, without such improvement for gait parameters during single‐tasking. Conclusion: Dual‐tasking condition better reveals gait improvement after CSF tapping than single‐tasking in patients suspected of iNPH.