How large is the force decrease in patients with secondary progressive MS, what is causing this decrease. In addition, is the cognitive performance of secondary progressive MS patients influenced by a fatiguing motor task?
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Demyelinating disorders
Synonym
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
The primary parameters are the changes in maximal force and central activation
during the fatiguing task, the number of correct responses on the CRT and the
reaction times of these reactions.
Secondary outcome
none
Background summary
Fatigue is one of the most common complaints in MS and can influence the
execution of daily tasks. The cause of the fatigue is not yet known (Tartaglia,
2004). In healthy people, fatigue of the central nervous system can be induced
by repetitive activation of a small hand muscle. (Zijdewind et al, 1998, 1999
en 2001). This fatigue also results in secundary cognitive problems (Lorist et
al, 2002; van Duinen et al 2005, Zijdewind et al, 2006). The study of the
central mechanisms underlying fatigue has been given little attention.
The goal of this research is to determine the decrease in force during a
fatiguing task in patients with secondary progressive MS and the mechanisms
causing the force to decrease. Previous research has shown that in a group of
relapsing remitting MS patients the decrease in force is fairly similar to
healthy controls, but a different mechanism is responsible (Steens et al 2011).
We expect that the maximal force in patients with secondary progressive MS will
be lower than that of relapsing remitting patients or healthy controls.
Therefore, we expect less decrease of force, but the mechanism of decrease
might be the same as for the relapsing remitting group. Another goal of this
research is to study the influence of a fatiguing motor task on the cognitive
performance. A previous pilot indicates that patients with MS, as opposed to
healthy controls, are affected by a fatiguing motor task. However, this was a
small, heterogenic group relapsing remitting patients. This research therefore
studies whether secondary progressive MS patients are affected negatively by a
fatiguing motor task on a subsequent cognitive task. We expect secondary
progressive patients to perform worse on a cognitive task after a fatiguing
motor task, but we think that the performance can recover over time.
Study objective
How large is the force decrease in patients with secondary progressive MS, what
is causing this decrease. In addition, is the cognitive performance of
secondary progressive MS patients influenced by a fatiguing motor task?
Study design
During the experiment the force (using a force transducer) and muscle activity
(using EMG-electrodes) of the abductor of the right index finger (FDI) will be
measured. At the same time, the nerve that innervates this muscle will be
stimulated electrically. The patients will be asked to execute a 2-choice
reaction time task (CRT), both before and after a fatiguing motor task.
Intervention
Fatigue task
Study burden and risks
No risk, time investment for the subject is 2 hours
A.Deusinglaan 1
Groningen 9713 AV
NL
A.Deusinglaan 1
Groningen 9713 AV
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
Secondary progressive multiple sclerosis
Pegboard test score on right hand >8
Sufficient hand function to operate force transducer and serial response buttons
righthandedness
Informed consent
Exclusion criteria
Neurological disorder other than MS
Psychiatric disorder
Depression
Hearing disorder or visual disorder that prevents subject to hear/see the stimuli of the test
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL37836.042.11 |