@article{BeurskensHelmichReinetal.2014,
  author    = {Beurskens, Rainer and Helmich, Ingo and Rein, Robert and Bock, Otmar L.},
  title     = {Age-related changes in prefrontal activity during walking in dual-task situations: A fNIRS study},
  series = {International journal of psychophysiology},
  volume    = {92},
  journal   = {International journal of psychophysiology},
  number    = {3},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {0167-8760},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.03.005},
  pages     = {122 -- 128},
  year      = {2014},
  abstract  = {Background: Previous studies suggest that the human gait is under control of higher-order cognitive processes, located in the frontal lobes, such that an age-related degradation of cognitive capabilities has a negative impact on gait. Results: Our behavioral data partly confirm previous accounts on higher dual-task costs in stepping parameters (i.e., decreased step duration) in old age, particularly with a visual task and negative dual-task cost (i.e., improved performance) during the verbal task in young adults. Functional imaging data revealed little change of prefrontal activation from single- to dual-task walking in young individuals. In the elderly, however, prefrontal activation substantially decreased during dual-task walking with a complex visual task. Conclusion: We interpret these findings as evidence for a shift of processing resources from the prefrontal cortex to other brain regions when seniors face the challenge of walking and concurrently executing a visually demanding task. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.},
  language  = {en}
}