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The following is a summary of “Use of Augmented Reality on a Self-Paced Treadmill to Quantify Attention and Footfall Placement Variability in Middle-Aged to Older-Aged Adults with Multiple Sclerosis,” published in the January 2025 issue of Neurology by Hernandez et al. 

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to examine the impact of dual-task gait impairment on middle-aged to older adults (OAs) with multiple sclerosis (MS), particularly in environments simulating daily ambulation obstacles.  

They recruited 10 middle-aged to OAs with MS (8 females, mean age = 56 ± 5 years), 12 healthy older adults (HOAs, 9 females, age = 63 ± 4 years), and 10 healthy young adults (HYAs, 5 females, age = 22 ± 3 years). Participants performed cued walking (CW) or obstacle walking (OW) tasks, with or without a concurrent backward alphabet recitation task (CWT, OWT), to simulate dual-task conditions. Gait performance and attentional demands were assessed by measuring hit rate, stride velocity, footfall placement bias, and variance, and prefrontal cortex (PFC) oxygenated hemoglobin HbO levels.  

The results showed a significant dual-task condition-by-cohort interaction in footfall placement bias and variance, with higher bias and variance in dual-task vs single-task conditions in HOAs, compared to HYAs and adults with MS. Additionally, a significant walking condition-by-cohort interaction was observed in PFC oxygenated hemoglobin HbO levels, with higher HbO levels during OW vs CW in adults with MS, compared to those without MS.  

Investigators concluded the decreased accuracy and increased attention in footfall placement to visual cues on the ground observed in adults with MS and HOAs, compared to HYAs, may have provided a marker for gait impairment and fall risk in OAs with MS. 

Source: mdpi.com/2813-3064/3/1/3