Cortical activation and functional connectivity during dual-task walking under different cognitive loads: an fNIRS study.

BACKGROUND

Cognitive-motor dual-task processing is common in daily life, but load-related changes in cortical activation and functional connectivity during walking remain incompletely characterized. This study examined neural and behavioral responses to different cognitive demands using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

METHODS

Thirty healthy undergraduate students completed single-task walking (ST), 1-back dual-task walking (DT1), and 2-back dual-task walking (DT2). Hemodynamic signals from prefrontal, motor, and parietal regions were recorded using portable fNIRS. Gait parameters, cognitive accuracy, dual-task cost, and the region-of-interest (ROI) based functional connectivity were analyzed.

RESULTS

Cortical activation showed task-dependent regional changes. Functional connectivity was higher during DT1 and DT2 than during ST (p < 0.001), while cognitive and gait performance worsened as task demands increased (p < 0.05). Activation-workload associations also differed across conditions.

CONCLUSION

In healthy young adults, increasing cognitive demands during dual-task walking were associated with distinct changes in cortical activation, interregional connectivity, and behavioral performance. These findings characterize load-related patterns in cortical activation and functional connectivity during dual-task walking.