Interference during simultaneous performance of a motor and cognitive task involving the upper extremity after stroke

Abstract

After stroke, the ability to perform two tasks concurrently is diminished, which may contribute to less pronounced gains on activity level after rehabilitation. The current study investigated whether upper extremity dual-task performance is compromised after stroke, as a first step towards examining whether cortical stimulation can reduce dual-task interference. Twenty stroke patients performed a single motor task (tapping targets), single cognitive task (memorising digits) and dual motor-cognitive task. Although motor performance was better when performing the dual-task compared to the single tapping task, it was at the expense of cognitive performance. These findings suggest upper extremity cognitive-motor interference after stroke. In ongoing work, we are investigating the potential role of cortical stimulation to improve motor and cognitive dual-task performance.