{
  "abstract": "BackgroundSafely walking through complex environments requires the use of visual information to plan and regulate steps, while managing competing cognitive demands. Age-related changes in visual control of gait and executive function may contribute to unsafe stepping behaviour, particularly under cognitive load. Route previewing may support visual-motor planning, but its effects under dual-task conditions in older adults are not well understood.\n\nResearch QuestionDoes cognitive dual-tasking influence gait and gaze behaviour during adaptive walking in older adults, and does previewing the walking route before gait initiation mitigate these effects?\n\nMethodsThirty-nine community-dwelling older adults (Mage=73.4 years, SD=8.1; 14 male) completed four adaptive walking conditions, combining single- and dual-task walking with and without previewing. Per condition, participants completed six trials across different 8-m long coloured walking routes. Gait characteristics were assessed using an instrumented walkway and video-analysis, while gaze behaviour was recorded using mobile eye-tracking. Cognitive load was manipulated using a serial-subtraction task. Gait and gaze outcomes were evaluated using linear mixed-effects models.\n\nResultsDual-task performance significantly increased stepping errors, cross-steps, and double-limb support, while reducing stride length (p < .001). It also significantly increased the number and duration of task irrelevant fixations (p < .001). After previewing, participants exhibited more efficient gaze behaviour, as evidenced by looking further ahead (larger forward gaze transitions) and fewer irrelevant gaze fixations (p < .002). Significant Task-by-Preview interactions revealed that previewing mitigated the negative effects of dual-tasking on stepping errors and cross-steps (p < .001).\n\nSignificanceRoute previewing prior to gait initiation attenuates negative effects of cognitive load on adaptive gait in older adults, likely by supporting visual-motor planning. These findings highlight the potential value of simple visual-planning interventions for improving adaptive gait in older adults.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Brunel University of London"
  ],
  "article_type": "PUBLISHAHEADOFPRINT",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "O. McVeigh-Mellor"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. J. Cocks"
    },
    {
      "name": "L. OReilly"
    },
    {
      "name": "T. J. Ellmers"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "E. Kal"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a2840tej9zstq.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.02.26364602",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.02.26364602v1.full",
  "id": "a2840tej9zstq",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.02.26364602v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "medrxiv",
      "rehabilitation medicine and physical therapy"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "3612|Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220389474",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.02.26364602v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-02",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a2840tej9zstq.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:20:06Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.02.26364602",
      "source": "medrxiv",
      "url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.02.26364602v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "medrxiv:rehabilitation medicine and physical therapy",
      "subfield": "general"
    }
  ],
  "title": "The effects of route previewing on adaptive gait and gaze behaviour under cognitive dual-task conditions in older adults",
  "title_text": "The effects of route previewing on adaptive gait and gaze behaviour under cognitive dual-task conditions in older adults",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:20:06Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/a2840tej9zstq",
  "venue": "medRxiv",
  "versions": []
}