Internet-Delivered Lifestyle Physical Activity Intervention for Cognitive Processing Speed in Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis

Physical Activity, Cognition

We propose a highly-informed, well-designed randomized controlled trial (RCT) that is critical for providing Class I evidence regarding an Internet-delivered physical activity (PA) intervention as a behavioral approach for managing slowed cognitive processing speed (CPS; the most common and perhaps most burdensome MS-related cognitive impairment) and its second learning and memory, symptomatic, and quality of life (QOL) correlates among fully-ambulatory persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) who present with CPS impairment. Such an approach will involve a single-blind, RCT that examines the effects of a remotely-delivered, Internet-based PA intervention compared with an active control condition for yielding immediate and sustained improvements in CPS, learning and memory, symptomatic, and QOL outcomes among persons with mild MS-related ambulatory impairment who demonstrate impaired CPS. The primary outcome is the raw (unadjusted), oral Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) score as a neuropsychological measure of CPS, and this will be collected remotely via screen-sharing technology. The secondary outcomes include an objective neuropsychological measure of learning and memory (California Verbal Learning Test-II) collected remotely via screen-sharing technology, self-report measures of fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale), depressive symptoms and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), pain (Short-Form, McGill Pain Questionnaire) and QOL (Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29) that will be captured remotely using Qualtrics. The tertiary outcome is accelerometry as an objective, device-based measure of steps/day that will be delivered and returned via pre-paid, pre-addressed envelopes through the United States Postal Service for generating a minimal clinically important difference value that guides the prescription of free-living PA for managing CPS impairment in clinical practice.

Cognitive impairment is prevalent, disabling, and poorly-managed among the 1 million Americans living with multiple sclerosis (MS). Indeed, 67% of adults with MS have cognitive impairment, particularly slowed cognitive processing speed (CPS), and this is associated with impaired learning and memory and worse fatigue, depression, anxiety, pain, and quality of life (QOL). This underscores the importance of identifying efficacious approaches for managing CPS impairment and its consequences among those with MS. There is merit in a remotely-delivered physical activity (PA) intervention for managing MS-related CPS dysfunction in MS. We have provided evidence from a pilot, randomized controlled trial (RCT) that an Internet-delivered PA intervention resulted in a clinically meaningful improvement in CPS among those with mild MS-related ambulatory disability; there were additional improvements in fatigue, depression, anxiety, pain, and QOL. The pilot RCT did not a priori recruit persons with MS who had objective CPS impairment nor examine sustainability of CPS changes over time, and it involved a waitlist control that did not account for the effects of attention and social contact. We leverage our experiences and preliminary results, and propose an appropriately-powered, Phase-II, RCT of a highly-developed and refined Internet-delivered PA intervention focusing on walking during ambulatory activities of daily living (steps/day) for yielding immediate and sustained improvements in remotely-assessed CPS among persons with mild MS-related ambulatory disability who demonstrate impaired CPS. The proposed study, if successful, will provide Class I evidence regarding the efficacy of a 6-month, Internet-delivered, PA intervention compared with an active control condition for improving important outcomes in 300 adults with MS who present with both mild MS ambulatory disability and impaired CPS. The primary outcome is the remotely-delivered Symbol Digit Modalities Test as a measure of CPS; the secondary outcomes include a remotely-delivered, objective measure of learning and memory and self-reports of fatigue, depression, anxiety, pain, and QOL; the tertiary outcome is accelerometry as an objective, device-based measure of PA. The conditions will be delivered by persons who are uninvolved in screening, recruitment, random assignment, and outcome assessment. We will collect outcomes on 3 occasions over a 12-month period (i.e., pre-intervention, immediately post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up). The outcomes will be collected using a blinded assessor. Data analyses will involve intent-to-treat principles, and mixed-effects models and logistic regression. The proposed research may yield "real-world" guidelines for free-living PA change that can be implemented for the treatment of CPS impairment in MS. Such an opportunity for rehabilitation of cognitive function using an approach with broad reach and scalability is paramount considering the prevalent, disabling, and poorly-managed nature of CPS impairment in MS and limited resources for its treatment.

United States