Learning Strategies for Improving Dual Task Performance in Multiple Sclerosis

Summary

This study is a randomized controlled study in which we aim to include 60 persons with Multiple Sclerosis and 30 healthy controls. Two different learning strategies, an explicit and an implicit one, will be compared on effects on dual task performance. Further, clinical profile associated with these effects, and brain activity measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy during dual tasking will be investigated.

To this end, the study will cover 4 days:

Day 1: examine clinical profile; Day 2: baseline dual task measures; Day 3: experimental learning paradigm with subjects randomly assigned to either the implicit or the explicit learning condition.

Day 4: delayed retention dual task and fNIRS measures.

Conditions

• Multiple Sclerosis

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

StraDiMS implicit

participants perform a goal-directed stepping task and try to react as fast as possible by stepping on a tile that lights up. Response time (the time between the tile lighting up and the participant stepping on the tile) is the outcome measure of the task. The implicit learning conditions and the explicit learning condition differ from each other in the instructions given prior to the task. The latter group will get more knowledge on the task than the former.

BEHAVIORAL

StraDiMs explicit

participants perform a goal-directed stepping task and try to react as fast as possible by stepping on a tile that lights up. Response time (the time between the tile lighting up and the participant stepping on the tile) is the outcome measure of the task. The implicit learning conditions and the explicit learning condition differ from each other in the instructions given prior to the task. The latter group will get more knowledge on the task than the former.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National MS Center Melsbroek

  collaborator OTHER

• Revalidatie & MS Centrum Overpelt

  collaborator OTHER

• Hasselt University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Peter Feys, prof. dr. · Hasselt University

• Renee Veldkamp, drs. · Hasselt University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-09-01

Primary Completion

2021-04-30

Completion

2021-04-30

Countries

• Belgium

Study Locations