Motor Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis: Role of Central Mechanisms

Abstract

The main objective of this proposal is to investigate the role of central mechanisms in motor fatigue and to unmask the alterations in the neural connectivity patterns underpinning central fatigue in PwMS. Specifically, we aim to 1a) determine the role of central mechanisms in motor fatigue in PwMS, 1b) impact of fatigue on mobility impairments and 2) to determine the neural correlates of central fatigue in PwMS. Methods: Aim 1: Fatigue Assessment: PwMS and healthy controls are currently being recruited to participate in a fatiguing motor task involving a sustained contraction of plantar flexor (PF) muscles for 60 seconds. We are using the interpolated twitch technique to determine voluntary activation (VA) of the PF muscles. The decline in VA during motor task represents the inability of the central nervous system to maximally drive muscles for a sustained period and provides an index of central fatigue. We further relate this objective index of central fatigue to decline in the balance control during standing (pre- and post- fatigue test) and the fast six-minute walk test. We hypothesize that1a: PwMS will exhibit significantly higher central fatigue during the performance of the fatiguing motor task,1b: Fatigue will be related to the decline in balance control during standing and walking performance. Aim 2: Neuroimaging: Resting-state functional MRI (RS-fMRI) is being collected in the participants from Aim 1 to investigate neural mechanisms underlying motor fatigue in PwMS. We hypothesize that 2) The severity of central fatigue in PwMS will be associated with increased functional connectivity among the cortico-striatal structures in the motor circuit of the basal ganglia. Results and Conclusions: Preliminary findings are presented in this report.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Aug 01, 2021
Accession Number
AD1176300

Entities

People

  • Fay B Horak
  • Ishu Arpan

Organizations

  • Oregon Health & Science University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Autonomy
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes
  • Sensors

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Biomedical Research
  • Birds
  • Brain
  • Change Detection
  • Detectors
  • Diseases And Disorders
  • Information Science
  • Institutional Review Board
  • Kalman Filters
  • Measurement
  • Medical Personnel
  • Mobile Phones
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Parkinson'S Disease
  • Statistical Analysis
  • Supervised Machine Learning
  • Wearable Technology

Fields of Study

  • Medicine

Readers

  • Exercise and Sports Science.
  • Neuroscience
  • Structural Health Monitoring of Composite Structures.