Comparison of Two Physical Activity Interventions in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple SclerosisThis study will examine the effectiveness of aquatic therapy on a range of MS-related symptoms such as cognition, mood, fatigue and quality of life (QOL).
Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Lower Limb Spasticity in Multiple Sclerosis Patients...
Multiple SclerosisLeg spasticity is common problem encountered with a large proportion of patients suffering with multiple sclerosis (MS) with an increasing severity as the disease progresses. It mostly affects the antigravity muscles that significantly complicates transfer, increases fatigue and makes walking more difficult. Hence, leg spasticity often interferes with patients' mobility and significantly influences their quality of life. A great number of multidisciplinary rehabilitation studies has shown a significant effect of numerous specific functional changes in patients with secondary (SP) and primary progressive (PP) MS but there are no reviews related to spasticity. The positive therapeutic effect of modulating Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ( TMS) methods on spasticity is shown in only two studies, in patients with relapse remitting clinical form in the remission phase of the disease. The effect of TMS on clinical measures of lower limb spasticity, functional inability and the quality of life in patients with SPMS and PPMS will be examined in this study. The objective to this study are to to explore whether rTMS boosted exercise therapy (ET) treatment can bring more improvement in lower limb spasticity than ET treatment alone in these patients.
Nicotinamide Riboside Supplementation In Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple SclerosisProgressive Multiple SclerosisThe purpose of this study is to assess the safety and efficacy of Nicotinamide riboside (NR) for treatment of patients with progressive multiple sclerosis. The main question it aims to answer is: • Does NR delay disability progression in progressive multiple sclerosis? Participants will be treated with NR or placebo for 30 months,
Efficacy of Square- Stepping Exercises in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple SclerosisSquare stepping exercises can promote correct foot placement, fast and coordinated step patterns, and sensory-motor interaction. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of square stepping exercises on mobility, balance and knee joint position sense in individuals with multiple sclerosis.
Who Benefits Most From Cognitive Rehabilitation for Multiple Sclerosis?
Multiple SclerosisOver the last 20 years, there have been many studies investigating the efficacy of attention and memory rehabilitation for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) however, there appears to be a lack of conclusive evidence regarding the true effectiveness of this intervention. This could be because the participant samples recruited to these studies are often extremely varied in terms of socio-demographics and clinical characteristics, and it would be very unlikely that all people with MS would benefit from these interventions uniformly. Therefore, there is a need to explore which subgroups of people with MS benefit most from cognitive rehabilitation so that this information can be used to help clinicians and services make decisions as to whom this intervention is offered. Cognitive rehabilitation is not routinely provided on the NHS due to lack of resources. This research is important as it will allow these resources to be optimised and made available to those who need them, but also to allow clinicians to understand whether their patient is likely to benefit from cognitive rehabilitation before it is offered. The primary aim of this study is to assess the feasibility and acceptability of undertaking a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the effectiveness of an online group-based cognitive rehabilitation programme with specific groups of people with MS. The secondary aim is to understand the impact that this intervention may have on various aspects of cognition such as memory, attention, and information processing. This will be assessed through various questionnaires and objective neuropsychological tests. In addition, an algorithm has been developed following the secondary data analysis of a large RCT investigating group-based cognitive rehabilitation for people with MS. This algorithm may be able to determine who benefits most from cognitive rehabilitation, we will therefore use this as part of the data analysis to understand if the algorithm has the potential to be an accurate clinical prediction tool. After completion of the cognitive rehabilitation, a small number of participants in the intervention group will be invited to take part in feedback interviews to give their views on the feasibility and acceptability of the group-based online cognitive rehabilitation and provide any suggestions for improvements for future trials.
Examining the Effects of a Remotely-delivered, Racially-tailored Exercise Training Program for Immediate...
Multiple SclerosisThe proposed project involves a high-quality randomized controlled (RCT) design that examines the effects of a remotely-delivered, racially-tailored exercise training program for immediate and sustained improvement in walking dysfunction, symptoms, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among African-Americans with MS residing in rural environments. The primary analysis will test the hypothesis that those who are randomly assigned into the intervention condition (i.e., exercise training) will demonstrate (a) improvements in outcomes from baseline that (b) are sustained over 4-months of follow-up compared with those in the control condition (i.e., stretching).
Vancomycin Study in Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
Multiple SclerosisThe overall goal of this study is to elucidate a mechanism by which vancomycin modulates the gut-brain axis in multiple sclerosis (MS). The gut microbiome plays an important role in autoimmunity, including MS. However, the identity of gut microbes modulating neuroinflammation in MS and their mechanisms of action remain obscure. Hence, here the research team proposes to investigate the effects of vancomycin on the gut microbiota composition, peripheral immune function, and brain MRI lesions in MS patients.
Transient and Immediate Motor Effects of Exercise in Progressive Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple SclerosisChronic Progressive2 moreEndurance training is a cornerstone of rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis (MS) due to its beneficial effects on multiple MS-related symptoms, such as health-related quality of life, aerobic capacity (VO2peak), functional mobility, gait, depressive symptoms, and fatigue. Persons with progressive phenotypes of MS, namely primary progressive MS (PPMS) and secondary progressive (SPMS), represent a minor proportion of the total MS population, thus having been underrepresented in previous studies. The generalizability of existing evidence may be compromised by differences in symptom expression between MS phenotypes, with a dominance of motor symptoms (i.e., paraspasticity and/or paraparesis) in PPMS and SPMS. Adding up to this, clinical experiences of neurologists and sports scientists reveal that the effects of endurance exercise are characterized by a distinct time course, firstly inducing a minor and transient deterioration of motor symptoms that is followed by motor symptom alleviation beyond baseline level. This phenomenon was mainly related to the performance of High-Intensity Interval training (HIIT), but not to moderate-intensity continuous training (MCT). Therefore, this pilot study aims to systematically investigate the time course of acute motor effects on spasticity, functional mobility, gait, and dexterity in persons with PPMS and SPMS following two different endurance training protocols, that are HIIT and MCT.
WEBCAMS: Walking Exercise for Brain and Cognition in Adults With Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple SclerosisRelapsing-remitting Multiple SclerosisThis study is a randomized controlled trial (RCT) that compares the effects of two different 12-month aerobic walking exercise programs on cognitive processing speed (CPS), brain MRI, and other functional outcomes in 32 adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are able to walk without an assistive device but demonstrate slowed CPS. Participants (N=32) will initially undergo screening via telephone, and after satisfying relevant inclusion/exclusion criteria, will provide informed consent, followed by a baseline assessment of CPS remotely via a HIPAA-compliant virtual platform (i.e., Zoom for Healthcare). This assessment will also serve as a screen for ensuring impaired CPS. Following this virtual session, participants will come into Kessler Foundation (KF) and complete a 3-hour baseline assessment (T0) that includes a relatively short battery of neuropsychological tests, a 40-minute MRI scan, tests of walking function, a short questionnaire packet, followed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing on a motor-driven treadmill. Following T0, participants will be randomly assigned into one of the two aerobic walking ET programs that are remotely-delivered and supported by KF research assistants. As the conditions are delivered and supported remotely by KF personnel, the exercise itself takes place in the home/community setting. Both conditions involve behavior coaching via Zoom for Healthcare. The experimental condition involves high-frequency, high-intensity aerobic walking ET that exceeds the published guidelines for physical activity for adults with MS (GEMS+). GEMS + initially involves 10 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic walking exercise for 3 days per week and progresses to upwards of 40 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic walking exercise for 5 days per week by month 12. The comparison condition involves mild-to-moderate aerobic walking exercise training that approximates published guidelines (GEMS). GEMS initially involves 10 minutes of light intensity aerobic walking exercise for 2 days per week and progresses up to 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic walking exercise for 3 days per week. Both conditions further will be monitored based on Fitbit-measured steps per exercise session. Of note, the sample size will be enrolled using 2 overlapping waves (Wave 1 = 14 participants, Wave 2 = 18 participants), 3 months apart. Participants will return to KF at the mid-point (i.e., T6) and end-point (i.e., T12) of the 12-month intervention period to complete the same assessments as T0. The T6 and T12 outcomes will be administered by treatment-blinded research assistants.
Acute Effect of Osteopathic Visceral Mobilization Techniques
Multiple SclerosisPelvic Floor Disorders3 moreMultiple Sclerosis (MS), caused by lesions in the white matter of the central nervous system, is an autoimmune inflammatory demyelinating chronic disease. The disease may present with many findings from fatigue, spasticity, balance and gait disturbances to bladder-bowel dysfunction (Ferreira, A.P.S., et al., 2019). When the rehabilitation methods for incontinence were examined, pelvic floor muscle training, tibial nerve stimulation and sacral neuromodulation were frequently encountered (Rahnama'I, MS., 2020). Pelvic floor muscle training should create an effective result in MS patients, and the training should be done for a long time, such as 8-12 weeks. No study has been found examining the effects of manual therapy techniques and diaphragmatic breathing exercise in the acute phase in functional or neurogenic bladder-intestinal dysfunctions.