Impact of Dual Task on Parkinson's Disease, Stroke and Ataxia Patients' Gait: A Comparative Analysis

Introduction: Performing dual task for neurological patients is complex and it can be influenced by the localization of the neurological lesion. Objective: Comparing the impact of dual task on gait in patients with Parkinson's disease, stroke and ataxia. Method: Subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) in initial phase, stroke and ataxia, with independent gait, were evaluated while doing simple gait, with cognitive, motor and cognitive-motor gait demand, assessing average speed and number of steps. Results: Ataxia and stroke patients, compared with PD, showed an increase in the number of steps and decrease the average speed on the march with cognitive demand. Subjects with PD performed better on tasks when compared to others. Conclusion: In this study the impact of dual task was lower in Parkinson's disease patients.