Author/Authors :
Sangelaji, Bahram School of Physiotherapy - Otago University - New Zealand and Iranian Multiple Sclerosis Society Rehabilitation Centre, Tehran, Iran , Estebsari, Fatemeh Department of Community Health Nursing - School of Nursing and Midwifery - Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Nabavi, Massood Neurology Department of Mostafa Hospital - Shahed University, Tehran, Iran , Jamshidi, Ensiyeh Community Based Participatory Research Center - Iranian Institute for Reduction of High- Risk Behaviors - Department of Health Education and Promotion - School of Public Health - Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran , Morsali, Damineh Neurology Department - Texas Medical school, Houston, Texas, USA , Dastoorpoor, Maryam Research Center for Modeling in Health - Institute for Futures Studies in Health - Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
Abstract :
Background: The positive impacts of exercise therapy on patients’ cognitive problems still remain
unknown. This study was a pilot intervention to examine the effects of combined exercise on the
cognitive problems of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in Iranian MS Society over 2012 to
2013.
Methods: This quasi-experimental research was carried out in the form of a pretest/posttest study.
Forty two patients with MS were selected from those visiting the rehabilitation center of Iranian MS
Society, using non-probability convenience sampling. The Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS)
of each patient was recorded before the intervention and Brief Repeatable Battery of Neuropsychological
(BRB-N) test was administered before and after the intervention. The data were analyzed
using the analytical tests such as Wilcoxon test.
Results: Of 21 participants, 17 subjects (82%, n=14) female with mean (±SD) age of 37 (±9.98)
years and mean (±SD) EDSS of 2.35 (±0.90) completed all stages of the study. Changes in long-term
storage and permanent long-term retrieval of information after the intervention were statistically significant
(p<0.001). In addition, the change in the average of total delay after the intervention was
also significant by 1.11 (p<0.001).
Conclusion: Our study confirmed the possibility of change in the cognitive abilities of MS patients
through physical interventions. This finding emphasizes the necessity of more clinical examinations
and increases the hopes for new rehabilitation methods for the disorder.
