Trials of cognitive rehabilitation to support people living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) are set to take place, with an ambition of creating new evidence and interventions.
Despite the prevalence of disabling cognitive deficits among people with MS, few treatment protocols are supported by Class I research evidence.
To address this need, MS researchers at Kessler Foundation are to hold a trial of an eight-session protocol for cognitive rehabilitation.
Cognitive deficits often have a negative impact on the lives of persons with MS, according to Dr Nancy D. Chiaravalloti, director of the Centers for Neuropsychology, Neuroscience, and Traumatic Brain Injury Research.
“Treating these deficits can improve how they function in their everyday lives, at home, at work, and in their communities,” she said.
“Through this rigorously designed trial, we plan to complete the bench-to-bedside translation of our scientific research and maximise its real-world benefits for individuals living with MS.”
The team will enrol 120 individuals with MS-related impairments in new learning and memory trials, with the double-blind trial geared around a strategy-based training approach.
All will undergo neuropsychological evaluation for objective cognitive performance, assessment of global functioning to assess everyday functioning and quality of life, and functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine impact of treatment on patterns of cerebral activation.
Longer term efficacy will be assessed by a six-month follow up, and whether booster sessions can maintain efficacy over time.
