Solving Raven's Matrices While Walking on a Treadmill: Insights into Cognitive-Motor Interference Patterns in Dual-Task.

This study investigates cognitive-motor interference by combining Raven's Progressive Matrices Test (RPMT) with treadmill walking. Two groups of healthy adults-20 young adults (born after 1995) familiar with treadmill walking and 18 older adults (born before 1980) without treadmill experience-completed both single-task and dual-task conditions. Cognitive performance (RPMT score) and gait metrics (stride interval variability and sample entropy) were recorded. Results revealed diverse interference patterns, with a predominance of gait-prioritization strategies under dual-task conditions. Significant differences between groups were found: younger adults showed greater cognitive performance decline, while older adults increased stride interval under dual-task conditions. A negative correlation between gait variability and complexity suggested adaptive motor strategies in some participants. This dual-task paradigm offers a standardized framework to explore both individual and group variability in multitasking performance. These insights may inform the design of safer environments and interventions targeting populations with different cognitive-motor profiles.