AUTHOR=Elshehabi Morad , Maier Katrin S. , Hasmann Sandra E. , Nussbaum Susanne , Herbst Heinz , Heger Tanja , Berg Daniela , Hobert Markus A. , Maetzler Walter 

TITLE=Limited Effect of Dopaminergic Medication on Straight Walking and Turning in Early-to-Moderate Parkinson’s Disease during Single and Dual Tasking

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

VOLUME=8

YEAR=2016

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/aging-neuroscience/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2016.00004

DOI=10.3389/fnagi.2016.00004

ISSN=1663-4365

ABSTRACT=<sec id="ST1"><title>Background</title><p>In Parkinson’s disease (PD), the effects of dopaminergic medication on straight walking and turning were mainly investigated under single tasking (ST) conditions. However, multitasking situations are considered more daily relevant.</p></sec><sec id="ST2"><title>Methods</title><p>Thirty-nine early-to-moderate PD patients performed the following standardized ST and dual tasks as fast as possible for 1 min during On- and Off-medication while wearing inertial sensors: straight walking and turning, checking boxes, and subtracting serial 7s. Quantitative gait parameters as well as velocity of the secondary tasks were analyzed.</p></sec><sec id="ST3"><title>Results</title><p>The following parameters improved significantly in On-medication during ST: gait velocity during straight walking (<italic>p</italic> = 0.03); step duration (<italic>p</italic> = 0.048) and peak velocity (<italic>p</italic> = 0.04) during turning; velocity of checking boxes during ST (<italic>p</italic> = 0.04) and DT (<italic>p</italic> = 0.04). Velocity of checking boxes was the only parameter that also improved during DT.</p></sec><sec id="ST4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>These results suggest that dopaminergic medication does not relevantly influence straight walking and turning in early-to-moderate PD during DT.</p></sec>