Making it Personal: Identifying Personalised Triggers of Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a condition of the central nervous system, where there is interference in the nerve impulses within the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. Scars occur within the central nervous system and depending on where they develop, manifest into various symptoms. Some symptoms include problems with motor control (muscle spasms, weakness, lack of coordination/balance and functioning of arms and legs) neuropsychological issues (memory loss and cognitive issues), bladder and bowel incontinence, and other neurological symptoms such as vertigo, pins and needles, neuralgia and visual disturbances. Fatigue is among the most commonly reported, most disabling but least understood symptom experienced by patients with MS. Patients differ substantially in the symptoms they experience depending on where lesions have developed on the brain and spinal cord. Factors such as physical activity, sleep, stress and mood may trigger, worsen or co-occur with symptoms. In this study, participants will complete questionnaire items about fatigue and potential triggers (e.g. physical activity, sleep, stress, mood) on a daily basis for period of 6-18 weeks via an electronic diary with an inbuilt accelerometer. Questionnaire items related to personally-relevant symptoms (e.g. body pain) and potential triggers of fatigue (e.g. sleep) will be selected by participants at the start of the study and incorporated into to the design of the daily questionnaires. Brief questionnaires will be completed by participants three times per day (morning, afternoon and evening) and will take approximately 1-2 minutes to complete.