The effect of changes in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex induced by cognitive tasks on the dual-task interference

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K19839
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 59010:Rehabilitation science-related
• Research Institution: Tsukuba International University
• Principal Investigator: Kimura Takehide つくば国際大学, 医療保健学部, 助教 (60636520)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 二重課題 / 理学療法 / 認知課題

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Impaired task accuracy under dual-task conditions (i.e., dual-task interference) leads to issues such as falls and traffic accidents. Recently, we reported that cognitive tasks might reduce dual-task interference. However, mechanisms why cognitive tasks could reduce dual-task interference are still unknown. In the present study, we focused on changes in brain excitabilities induced by cognitive tasks, and investigated that these changes contributed to reducing dual-task interference.
As a result, an enhancement of right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex excitability was positively correlated with an improvement of dual-task performance. In the future, we will investigate more effective cognitive tasks on reducing dual-task interference based on the present findings.

Free Research Field

リハビリテーション科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

二重課題干渉が発生すると、転倒や交通事故に結びつくことが示唆されている。本研究から認知課題によって二重課題干渉が抑制される機序の一端が明らかとなった。
認知課題はパソコンがあれば、誰でもどこでも実施できる。したがって、認知課題は臨床現場へ導入しやすい高い汎用性をもつ。本研究の結果をもとに今後は、二重課題干渉の抑制効果に優れた認知課題の追求、といった研究成果の臨床還元を念頭においた研究を展開していく。本研究を足がかりとして、転倒や交通事故の予防につながる新たな介入手段の創出をめざす。