Cognitive and motor impairment are well documented in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients, but their relationship has not been studied. This study evaluated and compared cognitive and motor performance during dual tasks and related dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) changes in oxygenated hemoglobin (ΔO₂Hb), a proxy measure of neural activity, in patients with COPD and age-matched healthy individuals. Participants performed three single tasks: (1) backwards spelling cognitive task; (2) 30 m preferred paced walk; (3) 30 m fast walk, and two dual tasks: (4) preferred paced walk + backwards spelling; (5) fast paced walk + backwards spelling. The ΔO₂Hb from left and right dorsolateral PFC were measured using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. Gait velocity was measured using a Zeno walkway. Compared to healthy adults (n = 20), patients with COPD (n = 15) had higher ΔO₂Hb during single preferred (-0.344 ± 0.185 vs. 0.325 ± 0.208 µM; p = 0.011) and fast paced walk (-0.249 ± 0.120 vs. 0.486 ± 0.182 µM; p = 0.001) in right PFC. Among healthy adults, ΔO₂Hb were higher bilaterally during preferred paced walking dual versus single task (right: 0.096 ± 0.159 vs. −0.344 ± 0.185 µM, p = 0.013; left: 0.114 ± 0.150 vs. −0.257 ± 0.175 µM, p = 0.049) and in right PFC during fast walking dual versus single task (0.102 ± 0.228 vs. −0.249 ± 0.120, p = 0.021). Patients with COPD did not increase O₂Hb during dual versus single tasks. Patients with COPD exhibited slower velocity than older adults during all walking tasks. The lack of further increase in O₂Hb from single to dual tasks in patients with COPD, may indicate reduced cognitive-motor capacity and contribute to poorer motor performance limiting safe ambulation. Dual tasking rehabilitation may improve neural efficiency to offset these risks.

认知和运动障碍在慢性阻塞性肺病 (COPD) 患者中已有充分记载，但尚未研究它们之间的关系。本研究评估并比较了 COPD 患者和年龄匹配的健康个体在双重任务期间的认知和运动表现以及氧合血红蛋白 (ΔO ₂ Hb) 的相关背外侧前额叶皮层 (PFC) 变化，这是一种神经活动的替代指标。参与者执行三个单一任务：（1）反向拼写认知任务；(2) 30 m 首选步行；(3) 30 m 快走，和两个双重任务： (4) 首选步行+倒退拼法；(5)快步走+倒着拼。ΔO ₂使用功能性近红外光谱测量左右背外侧 PFC 的 Hb。使用 Zeno 走道测量步态速度。相比健康成年人（Ñ  = 20），COPD患者（Ñ  = 15）有较高的ΔO ₂单优选的（-0.344±0.185 0.325对比±0.208μM;在血红蛋白p  = 0.011）和快节奏的行走（-0.249± 0.120 与 0.486 ± 0.182 µM；p  = 0.001) 在右侧 PFC 中。之间的健康成年人，ΔO ₂血红蛋白优选节奏步行时均较高双边双重与单任务（右：0.096±0.159对-0.344±0.185μM，p  = 0.013;左：0.114±0.150对-0.257±0.175μM，p = 0.049) 和快速步行双任务与单任务期间的右侧 PFC（0.102 ± 0.228 与 -0.249 ± 0.120，p  = 0.021）。COPD 患者在双任务和单任务期间没有增加 O ₂ Hb。在所有步行任务中，COPD 患者的速度都比老年人慢。COPD 患者从单任务到双任务的O ₂ Hb没有进一步增加，可能表明认知运动能力降低，并导致运动能力下降，限制了安全行走。双任务康复可以提高神经效率以抵消这些风险。