Compared to an active control condition, in persons with multiple sclerosis two different types of exercise training improved sleep and depression, but not fatigue, paresthesia, and intolerance of uncertainty

• Published in: Multiple sclerosis and related disorders 2019-11, Vol.36, p.101356-101356, Article 101356
• Main Authors: Sadeghi Bahmani, Dena, Razazian, Nazanin, Farnia, Vahid, Alikhani, Mostafa, Tatari, Faezeh, Brand, Serge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Active control condition; Adult; Coordinative training; Depression - etiology; Depression - therapy; Endurance training; Endurance Training - methods; Exercise Therapy - methods; Female; Humans; Multiple sclerosis; Multiple Sclerosis - complications; Multiple Sclerosis - therapy; Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; Paresthesia - etiology; Paresthesia - therapy; Personality; Personality traits; Sleep Wake Disorders - etiology; Sleep Wake Disorders - therapy; Uncertainty
• ISSN: 2211-0348; 2211-0356
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msard.2019.07.032

•In individuals with MS, sleep complaints and symptoms of depression decreased over time in exercising groups, compared to controls.•Exercising had no impact on fatigue, paresthesia, and intolerance of uncertainty.•This is the first study in the field to introduce an active control condition. In persons with multiple sclerosis (MS), physical activity favorably impacts on psychological well-being. The aims of the present study were to investigate the influence of physical activity on depression, fatigue, sleep, paresthesia, and personality traits (intolerance of uncertainty), and to explore, if endurance training or coordinative training are superior to an active control condition. 92 female individuals with MS (mean age: 37.36 years; mean EDSS: 2.43) took part in this intervention study. Participants were randomly assigned either to endurance training, coordinative training, or to an active control condition. At baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks later at the end of the study, participants completed questionnaires on sleep, depression, fatigue, paresthesia and intolerance of uncertainty. Exercise training interventions took place three times/week for 45 min/session. Participants in the active control condition also met with the same duration and frequency. Sleep complaints and symptoms of depression decreased over time, but more so in the exercising groups, compared to the active control group. No changes over time and between groups were observed for fatigue, paresthesia, and intolerance of uncertainty. Both endurance and coordinative exercising had the potential to favorably impact on some aspects of cognitive-emotional processing, while also an active control condition appeared to have a positive impact.