Gait and brain activity profile of people with multiple sclerosis
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Gait and brain activity profile of people with multiple sclerosis presenting with walking fatigability
IRAS ID
353891
Contact name
Don Mahad
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Hasselt
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 2 months, 24 days
Research summary
Walking fatigability is a motor impairment in approximately 75% of people with multiple sclerosis. It is defined as a decrease in distance walking or gait quality over a prolonged period. Walking fatigability manifests differently from person to person (e.g., presenting only drop foot with no decrease in distance walked). One possible explanation for walking fatigability is the lower capacity of the brain to sustain optimal levels of activation to maintain performance (i.e., distance walking) or gait quality. However, no study has investigated whether brain activation contributes to walking fatigability in people with multiple sclerosis.
Therefore, this study aims to investigate whether brain activity, measured through non-invasive brain imaging techniques, is related to how people with multiple sclerosis walk, measured through inertial measurement units, over a prolonged (6-minute) period.
The study includes 100 pwMS and 40 healthy controls. The study consists of 2 test moments. The clinical assessment session will be composed of responses to different questionnaires asking about perception of fatigue, fear of falling, self-control, pain and spasticity. The second moment will comprehend walking overground over different durations (15 seconds and 6 minutes) at different walking speeds (as fast as possible and comfortably), as well as several clinical tests: spasticity, muscle strength, cognition and ability to foot tap.REC name
London - Bloomsbury Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/PR/0399
Date of REC Opinion
15 Apr 2025
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion