NCT03198598

Effects of Yoga Practice in Multiple Sclerosis Patients: a Multidimensional Approach

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 130 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 60 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

In this study the investigators will evaluate the effects of yoga practice on multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls for fatigue, quality of life, movement, cognition, brain activity, self-efficacy, stress, anxiety, depression, affective states and immunological response. To investigate the effects of yoga training delivered by a yoga instructor or through a smartphone application, the investigators will use a multidimensional approach that comprises of: evaluation of neuropsychological, quality of life and affective aspects, structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) combined with movement analysis (gait, strength, balance etc.) and analysis of the immune response.

Detailed description

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is one of the most common neurological diseases, which is a cause of disability in young adults. Approximately 60% of the patients will not be able to walk at some point in the disease course. This brings important implications for patients' and family members' quality of life and financial cost to the society. In spite of the clinical significance of MS, its pathophysiology is not completely understood. Many researches have been investigating the role of B and T lymphocytes, the extension of central nervous system lesions and brain activation through neuroimage, separately. A multidimensional approach is necessary for the understanding of MS mechanisms and to verify the effects of therapies, including non-conventional ones, such as yoga. Yoga has been reported as a safe and low coast practice which may be more accessible to MS patients than other types of exercises. In patients with MS there are few well controlled studies, which indicate for example, improvements in fatigue, mobility, gait and humor. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of yoga practice in MS patients with different EDSS (Expanded Disability Status Scale) scores and healthy controls in aspects such as fatigue, quality of life, movement, cognition, brain activity, self-efficacy, stress, anxiety, depression, affective states and immune response through the analysis of cytokines and B lymphocytes antibody production. Method: the investigators will apply a multidimensional approach which involves neuropsychological, quality of life and affective aspects evaluation, structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging, near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) combined with movement analysis (gait, strength, balance etc.), measurements of cytokines and B cells antibody production, comparing MS patients with different scores in the EDSS and healthy controls before and after receiving yoga training delivered by a yoga instructor or through a smartphone application.

Conditions

• Multiple Sclerosis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Iyengar Yoga	The patients are going to practice Yoga two times per week during 60 minutes each composed by: 40 minutes of postures, 10 minutes of breathing exercises and 10 minutes of meditation. The proposed Yoga postures will depend on disease severity and will be adapted according to each patient.
BEHAVIORAL	Yoga app	The patients showing EDSS scores above 6.0 will be divided in two groups of 20. Due to their movements limitations it is not possible to perform a regular Yoga class. In this case they will receive a smartphone application that has an eight-week program including meditation practices, Yoga exercises that can be done in a seated or laid position and daily care tips.

Timeline

• Start date: 2017-06-19
• Primary completion: 2026-12-26
• Completion: 2026-12-26
• First posted: 2017-06-26
• Last updated: 2024-02-28

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Brazil