Effects of Exercise and Sleep on Motor Learning and Functional Abilities in Multiple Sclerosis

Summary

The ExSiMS study is a randomized, controlled crossover study including 20 individuals (18-70 years) diagnosed with relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS) This project investigates, through behavioral and neurophysiological measurements, how aerobic exercise on an ergometer bike and sleep in the form of a nap and overnight sleep may enhance cortical motor skill learning evaluated by a complex hand motor skill test and thereby improve functional capacity in individuals with MS. Beyond the effect on motor skill learning, the project investigate the effect on electroencephalography (EEG) - electromyography (EMG) coherence.

The study hypothesizes that individuals with neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), may experience beneficial effects on specific motor rehabilitation through systematically planned cardiovascular exercise and sleep scheduling, due to positive impacts on memory consolidation.

Aims:

* Investigate the brain's neurophysiological responses and memory effects following a training intervention and, separately, sleep, in the form of a power nap, in individuals with MS.
* Examine whether these effects persist beyond the few days previously observed in healthy individuals by implementing a longer-term intervention.
* Explore whether the training effect is influenced by disease activity in the brain, such as during relapses and during immunosuppressive treatment.
* Assess whether the presence of abnormally reduced cognitive endurance (fatigue) affects the impact of the intervention involving exercise and sleep.

The study is based on documented positive effects of physical activity and sleep in both young and older adults, as well as in individuals recovering from stroke. The research thus offers promising perspectives for broader applications within neurorehabilitation, and particularly for MS, as the disease is associated with functional impairments. At the same time, both physical exercise and sleep represent meaningful interventions that should be thoughtfully integrated into rehabilitation strategies.

Conditions

• Exercise
• Sleep
• Motor Learning
• Memory
• Multiple Sclerosis

Interventions

OTHER

Aerobic Exercise

The Aerobic Exercise Intervention consists of 20 minutes of Graded Exercise Test (GXT) on an ergometer bike. The participants start with 5 minutes of warm-up. The wattload will then be increased until exhaustion.

BEHAVIORAL

Daytime Sleep - Nap

The Daytime sleep consists of a 30-minute nap after the acquisition of the visuomotor accuracy tracking task. The participants will be asked to rest in a supine position in a bed in a dark and quiet room.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Copenhagen

  collaborator OTHER

• Zealand University Hospital

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Martin Ballegaard · Zealand University Hospital - Roskilde

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Masking

NONE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

70 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2025-12-01

Primary Completion

2028-08-30

Completion

2028-11-30

Countries

• Denmark

Study Locations