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Variable dual-task training

Variable dual-task training has been studied in 1 paper since 2026: 1 trial in people; 1 in the past year. The newest story, Nov 6, 2026: “Mental and movement training improved older adults’ leg strength”.

Intervention

1 paper studies it4 findingsUpdated

1 new paper in 30 daysSee all 1 papers on variable dual-task training

At a glance

The findings reach people, from one lab or study. 1 lab.

“The intervention produced a significant improvement in functional lower-limb strength relative to the WLC at post-intervention”
Immediate task-specific and delayed generalized adaptations to variable dual-task training in community-dwelling older adults: a randomized waitlist-controlled trialBMC geriatrics2026doi:10.1186/s12877-026-08667-1

None of its findings points the other way.

Humans: a single group. Cells, worms or flies and mice: nothing yet.

C, W, M, H: cells, worms or flies, mice, humans. Dark: independent labs found the same change there. Light: one lab or one study. Outline: nothing yet.

  • 1 lab
  • Human trial1

Studies in people

1 study gave variable dual-task training to people and measured what changed.

What changedDesignPeopleSource

up: Improves functional lower limb strengthSMD = 0.54

no change: Has no effect on remaining motor and cognitive outcomes

up: Improves functional mobilitySMD = 0.28

Randomized trial12 weeks50 people≥ 65 yearsOlder adultsBMC geriatrics, Nov 6, 2026

What did studies of variable dual-task training find?

4

Studies of variable dual-task training measured 4 outcomes; the most studied are inhibitory control and short-term memory (1 study), functional mobility (1) and remaining motor and cognitive outcomes (1).

Inhibitory control and short-term memory

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Variable dual-task training improves inhibitory control and short-term memory in humans Within-intervention-group improvements emerging only at follow-up (Flanker reaction time SMD = 0.40–0.42; forward Digit Span SMD = 0.62).

    “alongside delayed improvements in functional mobility, inhibitory control, and short-term memory”

    Human trialWithin-intervention-group improvements emerging only at follow-uptwice-weekly; 24 sessions × 60 minThree-month follow-up after 12-week interventionn = 30

    Mental and movement training improved older adults’ leg strength

    BMC geriatrics

Functional mobility

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Variable dual-task training improves functional mobility in humans Within-intervention-group improvement emerging only at follow-up (SMD = 0.28).

    “alongside delayed improvements in functional mobility, inhibitory control, and short-term memory”

    Human trialWithin-intervention-group improvement emerging only at follow-uptwice-weekly; 24 sessions × 60 minThree-month follow-up after 12-week interventionn = 30

    Mental and movement training improved older adults’ leg strength

    BMC geriatrics

Remaining motor and cognitive outcomes

no changein humans1

1 study

  1. Variable dual-task training showed no clear effect on remaining motor and cognitive outcomes in humans (Compared with waitlist control at post-intervention).

    “No significant between-group effects were observed for the remaining motor or cognitive outcomes at post-intervention.”

    Human trialCompared with waitlist control at post-interventiontwice-weekly; 24 sessions × 60 min12 weeksn = 50

    Mental and movement training improved older adults’ leg strength

    BMC geriatrics

Functional lower limb strength

upin humans1

1 study

  1. Variable dual-task training improves functional lower limb strength in humans (Compared with waitlist control at post-intervention) (SMD = 0.54).

    “The intervention produced a significant improvement in functional lower-limb strength relative to the WLC at post-intervention”

    Human trialCompared with waitlist control at post-interventiontwice-weekly; 24 sessions × 60 min12 weeksn = 50

    Mental and movement training improved older adults’ leg strength

    BMC geriatrics

Latest

Dec 2025: 0Jan 2026: 0Feb 2026: 0Mar 2026: 0Apr 2026: 0May 2026: 0Jun 2026: 0Jul 2026: 0Aug 2026: 0Sep 2026: 0Oct 2026: 0Nov 2026: 11 paper in 12 months
BMC Geriatrics

Mental and movement training improved older adults’ leg strength

Chair-rise performance improved versus waitlist controls after 12 weeks, with a standardized effect size of 0.54 measuring the difference between groups.Chair-rise performance improved versus waitlist controls after 12 weeks, with a standardized effect size of 0.54 measuring the difference between groups.

Randomized trial in 50 peopleInterventions
Paper

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