Some hypotheses and theories attempt to explain cogni- tive and motor performance for the dual-task paradigm. Dietrich proposed the transient hypofrontality hypothesis,9 which suggests that the cognitive functions associated with the frontal areas are impaired during physical exer- cise because the brain prioritizes motor control and the maintenance of vital functions (e.g., blood pressure and temperature control). In contrast, the bottleneck theory assumes that dual tasks are processed by the same neural networks, resulting in impaired execution of the second task.10 Indeed, Bloem et al. noted that young adults adopt a
‘‘posture first’’ strategy, in which they automatically prioritize motor tasks rather than cognitive tasks.11
Conversely, elderly subjects and neurological patients
(Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke patients) focus on the cognitive task when performing dual-tasks, thereby increasing the risk of falls.8