Walking Fatigability and Brain Activity in People with Multiple Sclerosis

Launched by HASSELT UNIVERSITY · Nov 1, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "Walking Fatigability and Brain Activity in People with Multiple Sclerosis," is studying how fatigue affects walking in people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) compared to healthy individuals. Researchers want to understand how well the brain and body work together during walking and how fatigue impacts both the distance walked and the quality of walking. They will involve 70 participants with MS and 30 healthy volunteers, examining their walking abilities through a series of tests while also measuring brain activity using special equipment.

To be eligible for this study, participants must be between 18 and 65 years old, diagnosed with MS, and able to walk for six minutes without needing a break. They should not have had any MS relapses in the month before the study. Participants can expect to take part in two sessions lasting about 1.5 hours each, where they'll answer questions about their health and undergo walking tests both on the ground and on a treadmill. This research aims to improve understanding of walking fatigue in MS and could lead to better support and treatments for those affected.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria (part A and B):
• • age between 18 and 65 years old
• • a diagnosis of MS (2017 revisions of the McDonalds criteria) with EDSS 1 up to 6.5 (part A) and with EDSS 1 up to 5.5 (part B) OR minimal punctuation of 2 in the MSWS-12 for one of the items: 7, 10, 11, and 12 (for pwMS)
• • no relapses 1 month preceding the start of the study (for pwMS)
• • ability to walk for 6 minutes without rest
• Exclusion Criteria (Part A and B):
• • Cognitive impairment hindering understanding of study instructions,
• • Pregnancy
• • Musculoskeletal disorders in the lower limbs that are not related to MS.
• • PwMS needing an assistive device to walk can not be included in part B given safety reasons.