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Completed

NCT Number: NCT04806022

Effects of Different Forms of Fatigue on Double-Task Performance in the Elderly

The dual task (walking and cognitive task at the same time) is increasingly used in geriatrics in protocols for detecting people who are falling and/or for highlighting cognitive disorders. However, frail elderly people tend to get tired quickly and a lack of awareness of the effects of fatigue on dual-task performance could alter the diagnosis.

There are two types of fatigue: mental fatigue and peripheral muscle fatigue. Each participant will do both types of fatigue over 2 appointments spaced by 7 days so that the subject can recover from induced fatigue. The sequence of fatigue tasks will be randomized.

At the first appointment (day 0):

1. Pre-fatigue assessment :

* The subject must walk on 10m with round trip for 1min. * the subject must do the arithmetic count of 3 in 3 * Then comes the evaluation in double task (walking and counting at once for 1min). The subject must walk on 10m with round trip for 1min by doing the arithmetic count of 3 in 3 at the same time. 2. mental fatigue task or muscle fatigue task (randomized) 3. post-fatigue assessment (the same as pre-fatigue assessment)

7 resting days

Second appointment (day 7)

1. Pre-fatigue assessment :

* The subject must walk on 10m with round trip for 1min. * the subject must do the arithmetic count of 3 in 3 * Then comes the evaluation in double task (walking and counting at once for 1min). The subject must walk on 10m with round trip for 1min by doing the arithmetic count of 3 in 3 at the same time. 2. mental fatigue task or muscle fatigue task (randomized) 3. post-fatigue assessment (the same as pre-fatigue assessment)

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Key information

Conditions

Elderly

Age range

20 year–90 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

CHU de Nice

Nice, 06000, France

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Young group

Inclusion criteria

  • 20 to 40 years old

Exclusion criteria

  • psychiatric disorders
  • Severe hearing or vision loss
  • Motor or sensory disability that may interfere with test completion

Old group

Inclusion criteria

  • 65 to 90 years old
  • less than 3 Fried's criteria of fragility
  • walking ability without technical assistance (at least 10m).

Exclusion criteria

  • psychiatric disorders
  • Severe hearing or vision loss
  • Motor or sensory disability that may interfere with test completion

Old frail group

Inclusion criteria

  • 65 to 90 years old
  • 3 or more Fried's criteria of fragility
  • walking ability without technical assistance (at least 10m).

Exclusion criteria

  • psychiatric disorders
  • Severe hearing or vision loss
  • Motor or sensory disability that may interfere with test completion

Treatment and study plan

Fatigability assessment

Other

Each participant will do both types of fatigue over 2 appointments spaced by 7 days so that the subject can recover from induced fatigue. The sequence of fatigue tasks will be randomized.

Primary outcomes

  1. Dual task performance after muscular fatigue

    Time frame: at inclusion (day 0)

    Dual task performance (DTEspeed motor performance; DTEcog cognitive performance) will be compared before and after a protocol of peripheral mental and muscular fatigue.

    For Dual Task Performance, the cognitive task performance (maximum count count - error count) performed alone (single ST task) and performed while walking (double ST task) will be compared.

  2. Dual task performance after cognitive fatigue

    Time frame: at day 7

    Dual task performance (DTEspeed motor performance; DTEcog cognitive performance) will be compared before and after a protocol of peripheral mental and muscular fatigue.

    For Dual Task Performance, the cognitive task performance (maximum count count - error count) performed alone (single ST task) and performed while walking (double ST task) will be compared.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Nice

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2022
Study completion
2022
First posted
Mar 19, 2021
Registry last updated
Mar 24, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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