Hemodynamic Responses and Brain Activity During Dual Tasks in COPD Patients Versus Healthy Individuals

This study aims to compare frontal hemodynamic responses and electrical brain activity to a dual task in individuals with COPD and healthy individuals and to investigate the relationship between frontal hemodynamic response and electrical brain activity and exercise capacity, arterial stiffness, balance, depression, anxiety, or quality of life. The required sample size for the project was calculated as 28 individuals, 14 each for the COPD and control groups (G\*Power Version 3.1.9.4, Franz Faul, Universitat Kiel, Germany), with a statistical significance of 94% test power and 0.05 error level for a difference of 3.33 points and 2.59 standard deviation (effect size 1.455) in the Mini-Mental State Examination score assessing cognitive function between the COPD and control groups. Considering a 10% dropout rate for each group, a total of 32 individuals, 16 in each group, will be included in the study. Exercise tests will be performed with at least one day of rest breaks. 1. st Session * Patient file information will be recorded. * A respiratory function test will be performed. * MoCA and MMDT tests will be performed to evaluate general cognitive status. * 6DWT tests will be performed. Muscle oxygenation will be measured during the test. * An SGRQ questionnaire will be administered to the COPD Group. * NHP questionnaire will be performed. 2. nd Session * Arterial stiffness measurement will be performed. * TUG test will be performed. * The HAD scale will be applied * Cardiopulmonary exercise capacity will be evaluated. Muscle oxygenation will be measured during the test. 3. rd Session * Task-specific cognitive tests, Stroop tests, and N-back tests will be performed. fNIRS and EEG measurements will be performed during the Stroop and N-back tests. * fNIRS and EEG measurements will be made during single and dual tasks. Data Collection: The researchers will collect data on frontal hemodynamic responses, electrical brain activity, exercise capacity, arterial stiffness, and balance parameters through tests. Data on dyspnea, depression, anxiety, and quality of life measurements will be collected through scales applied during face-to-face interviews. Data Analysis: Statistical analysis of the data obtained from all volunteers included in the study will be performed using the IBM SPSS 24.0 (SPSS Inc, Chicago, USA) program. Descriptive statistics will be calculated. The conformity of the variables to normal distribution will be evaluated using visual (histogram and probability graphs) and analytical methods (Kolmogorov-Smirnov/Shapiro-Wilk tests). In comparisons between groups, Student t-test will be used when parametric test assumptions are met, and Mann Whitney U test will be used when parametric test assumptions are not met. Chi-square test will be used for comparisons of categorical variables. Correlation between data that are normally distributed will be analyzed using Pearson correlation, and those that are not normally distributed will be analyzed using Spearman correlation. The error probability will be accepted as p\<0.05.