The complicated relationship between cognition and vestibular conditions was explored in a recent study (Pavlou et al, 2023). Combining a cognitive task with a motor task can be challenging, even for people without vestibular conditions. However, those with vestibular conditions may be more at risk for falls or imbalance due to the extra effort needed to maintain their equilibrium compared to those without vestibular issues.

The current study aimed to evaluate function gait assessment (FGA) in conjunction with different types of cognitive tasks including numeracy and literacy. This study also took into account hearing loss, subjective symptom intensity, and cognitive function to develop predictive models in participants with vestibular conditions compared to a healthy control group. One of the major findings suggests participants with vestibular conditions had impaired spatial working memory when compared to the control group. The authors also suggest future studies evaluate whether vestibular rehabilitation improves certain areas of cognition in those with vestibular issues.

Reference

Pavlou M, Costafreda SG, Galsworthy W, Korres G, Bamiou D. (2023) The interplay between cognition, functional and dual-task gait in persons with a vestibular disorder versus healthy controls. Sci Rep 13: 10130.

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