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Walking and cognitive performance in adults with multiple sclerosis: Do age and fatigability matter?
C Danielle Jones1, Katie L Cederberg1, E Morghen Sikes2
1University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Physical Therapy, Birmingham, AL, USA.
Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders
|May 11, 2020
Summary
Fatigue does not significantly worsen walking or cognitive abilities in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) as they age. These findings suggest that targeting fatigability may not be the most effective strategy for improving MS patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Science
- Gerontology
Background:
- Multiple sclerosis (MS) is associated with age-related declines in walking and cognitive function.
- The role of fatigability in exacerbating these age-related deficits in MS remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related differences in motor and cognitive fatigability in adults with MS.
- To examine the influence of fatigability on walking and cognitive performance across different age groups in MS patients.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 196 adults with MS, categorized into younger (20-39), middle-aged (40-59), and older (60-79) groups.
- Participants completed incremental six-minute walk (6MW) and Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) to assess motor and cognitive fatigability, respectively.
- Analysis involved mixed-factor ANCOVAs, controlling for disability status, to compare age-group differences.
Main Results:
- No significant interactions were found between age group and time for either walking-related motor fatigability or cognitive fatigability, after controlling for disability.
- Significant main effects of time were observed for both the incremental 6MW and SDMT, confirming the presence of motor and cognitive fatigability across all age groups.
- These results indicate that fatigability does not differentially impact age-related changes in performance within the studied MS population.
Conclusions:
- Fatigability does not appear to be a primary driver of age-related worsening in walking and cognitive performance in adults with MS.
- Targeting motor and cognitive fatigability may not be the most effective approach for mitigating age-related declines in ambulation and cognition in this population.
- Further research may explore other factors contributing to age-related neuroperformance deficits in MS.
