in addition to improvements in verbal learning and memory and preservation of hippocampal volume, the intervention group experienced non-significant effects to functional connectivity, all of which researchers said provide proof-of-concept for the therapy becoming standard practice among patients.
“exercise interventions should be a focus for ms research,” said john deluca, co-author of the study and senior vice president for research and training at kessler foundation. “showing efficacy for low-cost, non-invasive, widely available interventions will help us manage the effects of ms, supporting individuals striving to maintain their participation at home, at work and in their communities.
“to pursue our findings, larger scale studies are needed to explore the relationships between exercise training and functional and structural changes in the brain and the optimal protocols for clinical implementation.”
canada has one of the highest rates of multiple sclerosis in the world, with one in 400 — or over 900,000 people — living with the disease,
according to the ms society
. there are roughly 2.8 million people suffering from ms globally, with prevalence having increased in every area of the world since 2013. the unpredictable disease causes the immune system to attack the body’s myelin — the layer of insulation protecting nerves — causing inflammation and disrupting nerve impulses throughout the central nervous system. depending on the area of attack, this disruption can lead to a wide range of symptoms, including cognitive difficulties and diminished, vision, balance and mobility.