Application of dual task walking in patients with neurodegenerative diseases

Dual task walking (DTW) refers to the task of performing another attentional demand while walking naturally. It is quite common in our daily life, such as having a conversation while walking, or taking a call while crossing the street. People can simultaneously perform dual tasks normally. However, the performance of dual tasks will decline when the gait is impaired or cognitive dysfunction occurs.Neurodegenerative disease (NDD) is mainly characterized by motor and cognitive dysfunction, which seriously affects patients' ability of daily living activities. In recent years, studies on DTW in patients with NDD have found that decreased performance of DTW may be a feature of NDD patients, which may have important clinical value for early identification of NDD and predict disease progression. In the future, effective DTW training may improve the patients' ability of daily living activities, and it is important for the rehabilitation of NDD patients. This article mainly reviews the definition, common methods and mechanisms of DTW, as well as the clinical research findings and applications of DTW in patients with NDD, and provides theoretical basis for further clinical research. Key words: Dual task walking; Neurodegenerative disease; Parkinson's disease; Alzheimer's disease