Head and neck cooling enhance exercise tolerance in individuals with multiple sclerosis

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Neurology
• Thermoregulation

Background:

• Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) exhibit impaired heat dissipation, affecting core temperature regulation during physical activity.
• Maintaining a stable core temperature is crucial for exercise performance and safety in MS patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a combined head-and-neck cooling system in managing core temperature during exercise in individuals with MS.
• To assess the impact of this cooling intervention on exercise tolerance and functional capacity.

Main Methods:

• Ten adults with relapsing-remitting MS underwent incremental cycling tests in a temperate environment.
• Participants were cooled using a cap and neck wrap at either 10°C (COLD) or 24-26°C (NEUTRAL) on separate days.
• Core and skin temperatures, exercise duration, and functional capacity (walk tests, sit-to-stand, balance scale) were measured.

Main Results:

• Exercise duration was significantly longer in the COLD condition (28.4 min) compared to NEUTRAL (20.8 min).
• COLD cooling led to a significant reduction in core body temperature (approximately 1°C) and improved performance in the 2-minute walk test.
• No significant differences in fatigue levels were observed between the cooling conditions.

Conclusions:

• Combined head-and-neck cooling with cold water is an effective strategy to enhance exercise tolerance in individuals with MS.
• This intervention successfully mitigates detrimental increases in core temperature during exercise, improving functional outcomes.