Effects of cognitive and motor dual task on gait performance and brain activities in individuals with stroke

The walking conditions included walking at a normal pace and walking while performing a second cognitive or motor task. Gait performance and brain hemodynamics were recorded simultaneously during each walking condition. *Normal-pace walking (NW): Participants were asked to walk at their normal pace on a 4.75*0.89 m walkway (GAITRite system, CIR system, Inc., Havertown, PA, USA) from one end to another, and to turn at the end of walkway and continue walking (for 60 s) until instructed to rest. *Walking while performing a cognitive task (WCT): Participants were asked to walk on the same walkway while serially subtracting 3 from an initial 3-digit number and speaking out each calculated number as quickly as possible. The walking period was 60 seconds and ended with a rest. *Walking while performing a motor task (WMT): Participants were asked to walk on the same walkway while carrying a tray with a bottle of water. Participants were asked to avoid dropping the bottle while walking. The walking period was 60 seconds and ended with a rest. Each walking condition was repeated 2 times to yield a total of 6 walking trials (60 s for each) with random order.And 1 minute break between each 60 second trial. Approximate total duration of the test session was 15 minutes.