Grant: Summer Program in Aging

Many everyday activities involve processing visual scenes with multiple moving objects (e.g., pedestrians, cars) while walking or balancing (i.e., dual-tasking). Such divided attention poses a challenge for older adults due to age-related declines in attentional capacity and the need to compensate for vision and hearing loss. Declines in attentional capacity can have consequences on cognition and mobility, and therefore increase falls risk, and reduce quality of life and longevity. Training interventions aimed at improving divided attention are therefore critical. Seated executive function training has shown efficacy for improving dual-task walking and balance. However, it remains unclear whether cognitive training administered in a cognitive-motor format is even more effective at improving mobility. Results from our own pilot study demonstrate improved single- and dual-task walking speed, and single-task backwards counting, following 4 weeks of computerized seated or standing multiple object tracking (MOT) training. We do not yet know how this type of training changes brain activity, and whether a longer training period can have greater effects on cognition and mobility in older adults. Therefore, the aim of this research is to evaluate and compare the effects single or dual-task MOT or episodic memory training (active control) has on older adults' mobility, cognition, multitasking and brain activity. Training will be performed at home on a computer for 3 days a week (24 minutes/day) for 6 weeks. Pre and post assessments will be completed in lab. We predict that MOT training will enhance neural activation in areas of the brain associated with attention, working memory and motion perception, and therefore improve cognitive-motor multitasking performances. This study will help us understand whether MOT training can lead to neuroplasticity that would in turn improve older adults' cognition and mobility which could have benefits on their quality of life and longevity.