Solving Raven’s Matrices While Walking on a Treadmill: Insights into Cognitive-Motor Interference Patterns in Dual-Task

Abstract

This study investigates cognitive-motor interference by combining Raven’s Progressive Matrices Test (RPMT) with treadmill walking. Two groups of healthy adults—20 young adults (born after 1995) familiar with treadmill walking and 18 older adults (born before 1980) without treadmill experience—completed both single-task and dual-task conditions. Cognitive performance (RPMT score) and gait metrics (stride interval variability and sample entropy) were recorded. Results revealed diverse interference patterns, with a predominance of gait-prioritization strategies under dual-task conditions. Significant differences between groups were found: younger adults showed greater cognitive performance decline, while older adults increased stride interval under dual-task conditions. A negative correlation between gait variability and complexity suggested adaptive motor strategies in some participants. This dual-task paradigm offers a standardized framework to explore both individual and group variability in multitasking performance. These insights may inform the design of safer environments and interventions targeting populations with different cognitive-motor profiles.