NCT06370403

Effects of Head and Neck Cooling and Heating on Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis and Healthy Men

Effects of Head and Neck Cooling and Heating on Central and Peripheral Fatigue, Motor Accuracy and Blood Markers of Stress in Multiple Sclerosis and Healthy Men

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 40 (actual)
• Sponsor: Lithuanian Sports University · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 18 Years – 45 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Local head and neck cooling strategies can help reduce multiple sclerosis-related fatigue, while heating can exacerbate heat-related fatigue. However, no study has detailed the peripheral and central responses to head and neck cooling (at 18°C) and heating (at 43 ± 1°C next to the scalp and neck skin) during fatiguing isometric exercise in non-challenging ambient temperature in multiple sclerosis and healthy male subjects. In addition, there is a lack of data describing the effects of head and neck cooling/heating and strenuous exercise on blood markers, muscle temperature, motor accuracy, and rate of perceived exertion. The investigators hypothesized that: (i) men with multiple sclerosis would be more affected by central and peripheral fatigue compared to healthy subjects; (ii) local cooling will result in greater central fatigue but will be associated with greater peripheral fatigue, whereas heating will result in greater central and peripheral fatigue in multiple sclerosis men; (iv) local cooling and heating will have a greater effect on the release of stress hormones, rate of perceived exertion and motor accuracy compared to the control condition in both multiple sclerosis and healthy groups.

Conditions

• Multiple Sclerosis

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Cooling of the head and neck	Cooling of the head and neck at 18°C next to the head and neck skin in multiple sclerosis and healthy subjects
OTHER	Heating of the head and neck	Heating of the head and neck at 43 ± 1°C next to the head and neck skin in multiple sclerosis

Timeline

• Start date: 2014-02-04
• Primary completion: 2016-03-01
• Completion: 2017-01-08
• First posted: 2024-04-17
• Last updated: 2024-04-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Lithuania