Adverse outcomes after severe head injury (SHI) can be difficult to detect in primary care and other settings where there is not specialist expertise for interpretation. Walking and counting dual-task (DT) measures are strongly associated with cognitive impairment and dementia and this preliminary study investigates whether performance on DT walking and counting tasks are associated with cognitive function and disability in 125 participants who sustained a SHI on average 26 years before. Single Task (ST) walking (speed over 6 metres) and ST counting (Serial 3s) and DT performance of concurrent walking and Serial 3s were compared with neuropsychological, wellbeing and disability tests for strength of association. The strongest correlations were between ST Correct Cognitive Responses (CCRs) and MMSE (rho = 0.435), DT CCRs and Short-term Memory Binding Tests (STMBT) binding accuracy (rho = 0,409) and DT CCRs and STROOP (rho = 0.420), but associations were less strong with disability. Developing this test, as a cost-efficient screening tool for triage to onward referral for neuropsychological assessment, holds promise, but requires further research.

中文翻译：

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双任务行走和计数反应与严重颅脑损伤后认知功能和残疾的关系：初步研究

在初级保健和其他没有专业知识进行解释的环境中，严重头部损伤 (SHI) 后的不良后果可能难以检测到。步行和计数双任务 (DT) 测量与认知障碍和痴呆密切相关，这项初步研究调查了 125 名平均 26 年前患有 SHI 的参与者在 DT 步行和计数任务上的表现是否与认知功能和残疾相关. 将单项任务 (ST) 步行（速度超过 6 米）和 ST 计数（连续 3 秒）和同时步行和连续 3 秒的 DT 表现与神经心理学、幸福感和残疾测试进行比较，以确定关联强度。最强的相关性在 ST 正确认知反应 (CCR) 和 MMSE (rho = 0.435) 之间，DT CCR 和短期记忆结合测试 (STMBT) 结合准确度 (rho = 0,409) 以及 DT CCR 和 STROOP (rho = 0.420)，但与残疾的关联性不强。开发该测试作为一种具有成本效益的筛选工具，用于分类转诊进行神经心理学评估，具有前景，但需要进一步研究。