Type of Document	Dissertation
Author	Wilson, Kimberly Renee
URN	etd-04172008-070342
Title	Effects of Cognitive-Linguistic Load on Gait and Speech in Healthy Older Adults
Degree	Doctor of Philosophy
Department	Communication Disorders, Department of
Advisory Committee	Advisor Name Title Julie A.G. Stierwalt, PhD Committee Chair Joanne Lasker, PhD Committee Member Leonard L. LaPointe, PhD Committee Member Lisa A. Scott, PhD Committee Member Rolf A. Zwaan Committee Member
Keywords	Aging Cognitive-Linguistic Load Gait Speech
Date of Defense	2008-03-03
Availability	unrestricted
Abstract It is a well-documented fact that the rate of falls increases with advanced age. In an attempt to discern factors that contribute to the high fall rate in aging populations; investigators have looked to a task that is often executed while walking – talking. Although the effects of varying cognitive-linguistic load across a variety of dual-tasks have been heavily researched, few studies have systematically examined the contribution of increasingly complex cognitive-linguistic load on the gait parameters of healthy aging adults. Moreover, few researchers have utilized ecologically valid stimuli as a part of their investigation. The broad goal of this research was to examine the nature of the impact of manipulating cognitive-linguistic load hierarchy on gait in healthy aging. Discourse tasks of varying complexity were presented while participants walked a 44-foot walkway. The progression of discourse was from low load (explaining how to perform a task) to high load (completing a story initiated by the investigator). The dependent measures collected included measures of linguistic complexity, fluency, and gait. Results showed a significant effect of cognitive-linguistic load linguistic complexity on measures of discourse. Comparison of fluency measures across conditions revealed that cognitive-linguistic load did not have a significant impact on fluency. However, like measures of discourse, gait parameters were significantly affected by the addition of a secondary cognitive-linguistic task. Theoretically, these results could imply that a change in cognitive-linguistic and gait measures is linked to a sharing of resources involved in the execution of both tasks. In addition, these results also provide insight into dual-task performance and the potential contribution of cognitive-linguistic load on fall rates in healthy and neurologically compromised populations.
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