ACTIVE TEENS WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS (ATOMIC)
Full Title: Physical Activity, Quality of Life, and Disease Outcomes in Youth with Multiple Sclerosis: The Atomic (Active Teens Multiple Sclerosis) Physical Activity Research Program
Running up stairs
Photo by Clique Images on Unsplash

Increased physical activity (PA) has the potential to improve brain tissue integrity, mental health outcomes, and quality of life in youth with multiple sclerosis (MS). We have demonstrated associations between lower levels of PA and higher levels of depressive symptoms and fatigue in these youth over time. Furthermore, we have demonstrated an association between higher levels of PA and lower levels of disease activity in youth with MS. Finally, extensive work in adults with MS supports the role of PA in reducing disease activity and symptoms, resulting in improved quality of life in adults with MS. Importantly, our preliminary work shows that youth with MS have very low levels of PA. Increasing PA, therefore, has the potential to have both disease-modifying and psychosocial benefits in youth with MS. Other research has shown that group-based exercise classes while increasing PA at the time of the intervention, do not lead to sustained increases in levels of everyday living PA. Any intervention oriented towards sustained increases in PA must address barriers and facilitators to behaviour change.

We have developed a user-driven app to address these issues: through it, we will be able to deliver MS-specific PA information via a mobile app platform, overcoming the barriers of patient engagement and distance. We propose to test the feasibility of implementing a mobile app-based physical activity intervention in youth with MS and to examine the extent to which the intervention can change physical activity levels in this population. Secondary and exploratory outcomes will be to evaluate improvement in regional brain volumes, mood, and quality of life in youth with MS.

For more information and participation, please contact Rachel Kang.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS STUDY CAN BE FOUND AT
clinicaltrials.gov and
research4kids
PEACH STUDY
Participation, Environment, And Key Clinical and Health Outcomes in Children with Multiple Sclerosis (PEACH)

We are currently conducting and recruiting for a new study looking at the relationship between participation in home, school and community activities, and mental health in children and youth with multiple sclerosis (MS). We hope to use this information to better understand how neuroinflammatory disease can affect a child’s mental health and ability to participate in activities at home, school and in the community. Over the course of the study, we hope to also identify what other factors affect their ability to participate in these activities.

We are looking for youth aged 5 to 17 years old with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and youth with acquired monophasic demyelination syndrome (mono-ADS).

For more information and participation, please contact: Paul Yoo

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

COMPLETED STUDIES

Physical Activity, Depression, and Fatigue in Paediatric MS

Full Title: Benefits of Moderate- to Vigorous Physical Activity on Depression and Fatigue in Pediatric MS

Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated an association between higher levels of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and less fatigue and depression among children with multiple sclerosis (MS) and monophasic demyelinating disorders (mono-ADS). While inferences of causality are not possible with cross-sectional studies, time-varying relationships can be examined with longitudinal studies.

The objectives of this study are to examine the relationship between MVPA and symptoms of fatigue and depression among youth with demyelinating conditions over time. Standardized fatigue, depression, and MVPA questionnaires are collected at each visit from youth with MS and mono-ADS attending a Neuroinflammatory Clinic (2013-2017). The associations of MVPA with fatigue and depression will be examined over time, controlling for age and time from disease onset, sex, relapse rate, depression, and disability. Read our publication

Sleep, Physical Activity and MS Symptoms in Paediatric MS

Full Title: Sleep, Physical Activity and MS Symptoms in Paediatric MS

Most youth with multiple sclerosis (MS) experience symptoms such as depression and fatigue. In addition, cognitive issues, especially with attention and memory occur frequently. However, little is known about interventions that might work to improve these symptoms. In other work, we have shown that higher levels of physical activity are associated with lower levels of depression and fatigue. Others have shown that sleep may reduce fatigue and depression while improving attention and memory in the adult MS population and other pediatric populations. Importantly, sleep problems are frequently encountered in youth with MS and were seen in 60% of surveyed youth with MS in our preliminary work. Whether sleep plays an important role in symptoms in youth with MS, and the relationship between sleep and physical activity in youth with MS is unknown and may differ from the relationship seen in otherwise healthy individuals due to consequences of the disease process. Describing and identifying problems and disturbances with sleep, and examining their relationship to physical activity and MS-related symptoms is the first step towards developing effective interventions for these problems.

Our preliminary findings suggest that sleep problems occur in over half of youth with MS. However, it is not clear how these sleep problems might affect these youth. Furthermore, there has been no research to date using objective measures to document the rate of sleep problems in this population. Modifying sleep habits may also have an effect on physical activity levels in these youth. Finding ways to increase physical activity levels is important, as we have shown that increased physical activity is related to improved disease symptom status. This research will address these issues. Our goal is to understand sleep problems in youth with MS. We will also study how sleep habits, physical activity, and disease symptoms are related to one another in these youth. We will do this by evaluating the sleep habits using questionnaires and an objective measure of sleep activity, a wrist-based activity monitor (ActiWatch). In addition, we will measure physical activity in all participants objectively using a wearable activity monitor (accelerometry). Finally, we will assess levels of disease activity, fatigue and depression in order to understand how these disease symptoms are related to sleep and physical activity.

Physical Activity Barriers and Facilitators

This study’s objective is to better understand the levels of physical activity youth with neuroinflammatory disorders engage in and how fit they are. This research study  is designed to learn about the amount and type of physical activities that are done by youth with neuroinflammation and also by healthy youth. We would like to know how fit these youth are and would like to ask about things that get in the way of taking part in physical activity.  We also want to know what helps youth to take part in physical activity.  Finally, we hope that this research helps us give better advice on the best ways to be physically active in youth with neuroinflammation.