Verbal fluency task affects gait in Parkinson's disease with motor freezing

J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 1998 Winter;11(4):181-5. doi: 10.1177/089198879901100403.

Abstract

We examined the effects of a simultaneous verbal fluency task on walking in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with freezing of gait (PD-F) compared to nonfreezing patients (PD-NF) or control subjects (C). Effects of antiparkinsonian medications on gait in PD-F were examined. PD-F patients exhibited a greater increase in the number of steps to complete the walk with verbal fluency, even when the effect of medication was taken into account (mean increase +/- SD): PD-F = 4.2 +/- 4.6, n = 10; PD-NF = 0.1 +/- 1.6, n = 9; C = 1.5 +/- 1.5, n = 19; P = .007. Medications improved walking in PD-F patients by decreasing the number of steps, the time to walk, and freezing. PD-F patients may be more dependent on attention for walking.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Controlled Clinical Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Antiparkinson Agents / pharmacology
  • Attention / physiology*
  • Female
  • Gait / drug effects
  • Gait / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Movement Disorders / etiology
  • Movement Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Parkinson Disease / complications
  • Parkinson Disease / physiopathology*
  • Word Association Tests

Substances

  • Antiparkinson Agents