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Abstract

Background: Functionality in aging is closely linked to the ability to divide attention during multitasking activities, which are essential for activities of daily life. However, coordination between motor and cognitive simultaneous tasks decreases with age, impairing functional ability and restricting older adults' participation and healthy aging. This study aimed to assess the effects of a multimodal dual-task exercise intervention on motor and cognitive dual-task costs and its potential to mitigate age-related declines in healthy older adults. Materials and Methods: A controlled trial was conducted with community-dwelling older adults assigned to either the Dual-Task Exercise group, which participated in a 24-session intervention twice weekly, with each session lasting 75 minutes, or the no-exercise control group. Dual-task cost analysis was performed via two-way mixed ANOVA, and Bonferroni was used for post hoc comparisons to assess changes over time within and between groups. Results: Compared with the control group, the intervention group demonstrated significant preservation of dual-task performance, particularly in the motor domain (F(1,68) = 7.21, p ≤ 0.009, η² = 0.096). While the control group exhibited a marked decline in motor performance in dual-task conditions (Pre-Intervention: -10.4 ± 3.4, Post-Intervention: -20.9 ± 3.0, p ≤ 0.002), the intervention group maintained baseline levels of performance (Pre-Intervention: -11.4 ± 3.0, Post-Intervention: -10.2 ± 2.6, p = 0.665). No significant changes were observed in the cognitive component of dual-task performance in either group (F(1,68) = 1.35, p = 0.259, η² = 0.019). These findings suggest that the multimodal dual-task exercise program effectively mitigates age-related dual-task declines. Conclusions: The multimodal dual-task exercise intervention effectively preserved the decline in motor performance typically observed in older adults during dual-task activities. This structured exercise program mitigated typical age-related declines in motor function under dual-task conditions, highlighting its potential to increase functional ability and promote healthy aging. The results underscore the importance of incorporating dual-task cost as an essential clinical measure for older adults to maintain physical and cognitive performance.

Clinical trial registration: https://ensaiosclinicos.gov.br/rg/RBR-9zrx3d. UTN code: U1111-1233-6349. Date of registration: 09/12/2019

Author ORCID Identifier

Helen Tatiane Santos Pontes; ORCID: 0000-0003-1488-9296

João Bento-Torres; ORCID: 0000-0002-9155-9445

Naina Yuki Vieira Jardim; ORCID: 0000-0003-3760-3684

Victor Oliveira da Costa; ORCID: 0000-0002-4587-580X

Josilayne Patricia Ramos Carvalho; ORCID: 0000-0001-6538-0591

Cristovam Wanderley Picanço-Diniz; ORCID: 0000-0001-6611-6880

Natáli Valim Oliver Bento-Torres; ORCID: 0000-0003-0978-211X

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

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