A Proposal for a Linear Calculation of Gait Asymmetry

Pathological gait is often associated with a lack of symmetry. A possible way to quantify this feature is to use acceleration data measured by a sensor located on the lower trunk. The most common approach calculates a symmetry index starting from the autocorrelation function, aiming to measure the divergence in motion of the left and right sides of the body. The various methods proposed to implement this approach are based on nonlinear and discontinuous functions, and the interpretation of their output is far from straightforward. The aim of this study was to propose a linear and easier to interpret quantification measure for gait asymmetry. The proposed measure was tested on data from healthy controls and from patients with Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s Disease, and it was shown to negate the flaws present in previous methods and to provide more directly interpretable results.

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Fluency in multiple sclerosis: which measure is best?

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1191/1352458502ms799oa ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 8 (3) ◽

pp. 261-264 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

W W Beatty

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Cognitive Impairment ◽

Roc Curve ◽

Verbal Fluency ◽

Operating Characteristic ◽

The Body ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Semantic Fluency ◽

Multicenter Trials ◽

Fixed Set

Tests of verbal fluency provide brief and sensitive measures of the deficits in rapidly retrieving overlearned information common in multiple sclerosis (MS). Production of words that begin with the letters F, A, and S is the verbal fluency measure most often used with patients who are fluent in English. However, because of frequency of words beginning with certain letters varies from one language to another, it is unlikely that any fixed set of letters will be appropriate for multicenter trials that involve patients who are fluent in different languages. A possible alternative involves using semantic fluency categories that contain such a large number of exemplars that no fluent speaker of any language could exhaust the category in the allotted response time. To examine the potential usefulness of semantic fluency measures, 203 MS patients and 87 healthy controls generated words that begin with F, A, or S or were exemplars of the categories animals and parts of the body. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses indicated that sensitivities and specificities for the three fluency measures in discriminating patients from controls were quite similar, especially if patients with global cognitive impairment were excluded.

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Gait asymmetry, and bilateral coordination of gait during a six-minute walk test in persons with multiple sclerosis

10.1101/2020.05.13.093161 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Meir Plotnik ◽

Joanne M. Wagner ◽

Gautam Adusumilli ◽

Amihai Gottlieb ◽

Robert T. Naismith

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Walk Test ◽

Bilateral Coordination ◽

Six Minute Walk Test ◽

Gait Asymmetry ◽

Left And Right ◽

Phase Coordination ◽

Analysis System ◽

Minute Walk ◽

Walking Endurance

AbstractGait impairments in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) underlying reduced walking endurance are still poorly understood. Thus, our objective was to assessed gait asymmetry (GA) and bilateral coordination of gait (BCG), among pwMS during the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and their association with disease severity. For this aim, we recruited ninety-two pwMS (age: 46.6 ± 7.9; 83% females) with a broad range of clinical disability who completed the 6MWT wearing gait analysis system. GA was assessed by comparing left and right swing times, and BCG by using the phase coordination index (PCI). Several functional and subjective gait assessments were performed. Results show that gait is more asymmetric and less coordinated as the disease progresses (p<.0001). Participants with mild MS showed significant better BCG as reflected by lower PCI values in comparison to the other two MS severity groups (severe: p =.001, moderate: p=.02). GA and PCI also deteriorated significantly with time during the 6MWT (p<.0001). GA and PCI (i.e., BCG) show somewhat weaker associations with clinical MS status than associations observed between functional and subjective gait assessments and MS status. Similar to other neurological cohorts, GA and PCI are important parameters to assess and to target in interventions among pwMS.

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Gut bacteria from multiple sclerosis patients modulate human T cells and exacerbate symptoms in mouse models

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.1711235114 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 114 (40) ◽

pp. 10713-10718 ◽

Cited By ~ 275

Author(s):

Egle Cekanaviciute ◽

Bryan B. Yoo ◽

Tessel F. Runia ◽

Justine W. Debelius ◽

Sneha Singh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

T Cells ◽

Mononuclear Cells ◽

Human Peripheral Blood ◽

Gut Bacteria ◽

The Body ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Peripheral Blood Mononuclear ◽

Cell Functions ◽

Multiple Sclerosis Patients

The gut microbiota regulates T cell functions throughout the body. We hypothesized that intestinal bacteria impact the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS), an autoimmune disorder of the CNS and thus analyzed the microbiomes of 71 MS patients not undergoing treatment and 71 healthy controls. Although no major shifts in microbial community structure were found, we identified specific bacterial taxa that were significantly associated with MS. Akkermansia muciniphila and Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, both increased in MS patients, induced proinflammatory responses in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and in monocolonized mice. In contrast, Parabacteroides distasonis, which was reduced in MS patients, stimulated antiinflammatory IL-10–expressing human CD4+CD25+ T cells and IL-10+FoxP3+ Tregs in mice. Finally, microbiota transplants from MS patients into germ-free mice resulted in more severe symptoms of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and reduced proportions of IL-10+ Tregs compared with mice “humanized” with microbiota from healthy controls. This study identifies specific human gut bacteria that regulate adaptive autoimmune responses, suggesting therapeutic targeting of the microbiota as a treatment for MS.

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ASSESSMENT OF FATIGUE ACROSS SEASONS OVER YEAR IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS PATIENTS AND HEALTHY CONTROLS

10.26226/morressier.5ab4d4eed462b80296ca4dac ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Daphne Bakalidou

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Multiple Sclerosis Patients

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Upper Extremity Motor Fatigability as an Early Indicator in Pediatric Onset Multiple Sclerosis

Journal of Child Neurology ◽

10.1177/0883073821999889 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 088307382199988

Author(s):

Giuseppina Pilloni ◽

Martin Malik ◽

Raghav Malik ◽

Lauren Krupp ◽

Leigh Charvet

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Grip Strength ◽

Upper Extremity ◽

Static Fatigue ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Fatigue Index ◽

Left Hand ◽

Right Hand ◽

Computer Based ◽

Pediatric Onset

Aim: To adopt a computer-based protocol to assess grip fatigability in patients with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis to provide detection of subtle motor involvement identifying those patients most at risk for future decline. Method: Pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis patients were recruited during routine outpatient visits to complete a grip assessment and compared to a group of healthy age- and sex-matched controls. All participants completed a computer-based measurement of standard maximal grip strength and repetitive and sustained grip performance measured by dynamic and static fatigue indices. Results: A total of 38 patients with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis and 24 healthy controls completed the grip protocol (right-hand dominant). There were no significant group differences in maximal grip strength bilaterally (right: 21.8 vs 19.9 kg, P = .25; left: 20.4 vs 18.7 kg, P = .33), although males with pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis were significantly less strong than healthy controls (right: 26.53 vs 21.23 kg, P = .009; left; 25.13 vs 19.63 kg, P = .003). Both dynamic and static fatigue indices were significantly higher bilaterally in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis compared with healthy control participants (left-hand dynamic fatigue index: 18.6% vs 26.7%, P = .003; right-hand static fatigue index: 28.3% vs 41.3%, P < .001; left-hand static fatigue index: 31.9% vs 42.6%, P < .001). Conclusion: Brief repeatable grip assessment including measures of dynamic and sustained static output can be a sensitive indicator of upper extremity motor involvement in pediatric-onset multiple sclerosis, potentially identifying those in need of intervention to prevent future disability.

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Central neuropathic pain in multiple sclerosis is associated with impaired innocuous thermal pathways and neuronal hyperexcitability

Pain Medicine ◽

10.1093/pm/pnab103 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Michal Rivel ◽

Anat Achiron ◽

Mark Dolev ◽

Yael Stern ◽

Gaby Zeilig ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Neuropathic Pain ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Sensory Testing ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Central Neuropathic Pain ◽

Body Regions ◽

Thermal Grill Illusion

Abstract Objective About a third of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) suffer from chronic and excruciating central neuropathic pain (CNP). The mechanism underlying CNP in MS is not clear, since previous studies are scarce and their results are inconsistent. Our aim was to determine whether CNP in MS is associated with impairment of the spinothalamic-thalamocortical pathways (STTCs) and/or increased excitability of the pain system. Design Cross sectional study Setting General hospital Subjects 47 MS patients with CNP, 42 MS patients without CNP, and 32 healthy controls. Methods Sensory testing included the measurement of temperature, pain, and touch thresholds and the thermal grill illusion (TGI) for evaluating STTCs function, and hyperpathia and allodynia as indicators of hyperexcitability. CNP was characterized using interviews and questionnaires. Results The CNP group had higher cold and warm thresholds (p < 0.01), as well as higher TGI perception thresholds (p < 0.05), especially in painful body regions compared to controls, whereas touch and pain thresholds values were normal. The CNP group also had a significantly greater prevalence of hyperpathia and allodynia. Regression analysis revealed that whereas presence of CNP was associated with a higher cold threshold, CNP intensity, and the number of painful body regions were associated with allodynia and hyperpathia, respectively. Conclusions CNP in MS is characterized by a specific impairment of STTC function; the innocuous thermal pathways, and by pain hyperexcitability. Whereas CNP presence is associated with STTC impairment, its severity and extent are associated with pain hyperexcitability. Interventions that reduce excitability level may therefore mitigate CNP severity.

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Effect of corpus callosum agenesis on the language network in children and adolescents

Brain Structure and Function ◽

10.1007/s00429-020-02203-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lisa Bartha-Doering ◽

Ernst Schwartz ◽

Kathrin Kollndorfer ◽

Florian Ph. S. Fischmeister ◽

Astrid Novak ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Functional Connectivity ◽

Corpus Callosum ◽

Network Connectivity ◽

Functional Language ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Language Abilities ◽

Verbal Abilities ◽

Left And Right ◽

Language Network

AbstractThe present study is interested in the role of the corpus callosum in the development of the language network. We, therefore, investigated language abilities and the language network using task-based fMRI in three cases of complete agenesis of the corpus callosum (ACC), three cases of partial ACC and six controls. Although the children with complete ACC revealed impaired functions in specific language domains, no child with partial ACC showed a test score below average. As a group, ACC children performed significantly worse than healthy controls in verbal fluency and naming. Furthermore, whole-brain ROI-to-ROI connectivity analyses revealed reduced intrahemispheric and right intrahemispheric functional connectivity in ACC patients as compared to controls. In addition, stronger functional connectivity between left and right temporal areas was associated with better language abilities in the ACC group. In healthy controls, no association between language abilities and connectivity was found. Our results show that ACC is associated not only with less interhemispheric, but also with less right intrahemispheric language network connectivity in line with reduced verbal abilities. The present study, thus, supports the excitatory role of the corpus callosum in functional language network connectivity and language abilities.

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Analysis of spectral domain optical coherence tomography measurements in optic neuritis: differences in neuromyelitis optica, multiple sclerosis, isolated optic neuritis and normal healthy controls

Acta Ophthalmologica ◽

10.1111/aos.12215 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 92 (1) ◽

pp. e57-e65 ◽

Cited By ~ 34

Author(s):

Kyung-Ah Park ◽

Jaeryung Kim ◽

Sei Yeul Oh

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Optical Coherence Tomography ◽

Optic Neuritis ◽

Neuromyelitis Optica ◽

Spectral Domain ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Optical Coherence

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Prevalence of restless legs syndrome and REM sleep behavior disorder in multiple sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis Journal ◽

10.1177/1352458506074644 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 805-808 ◽

Cited By ~ 71

Author(s):

M.J. Gómez-Choco ◽

A. Iranzo ◽

Y. Blanco ◽

F. Graus ◽

J. Santamaria ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Multiple Sclerosis ◽

Restless Legs Syndrome ◽

Rem Sleep ◽

Neurological Disease ◽

Age Distribution ◽

Rem Sleep Behavior Disorder ◽

Behavior Disorder ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Sleep Behavior ◽

Restless Legs

A total of 135 consecutive, unrelated, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients were interviewed for symptoms suggestive of restless legs syndrome (RLS) and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD), using semi-structured questionnaires. Some 118 unrelated healthy controls of similar sex and age distribution were included for comparison. Patients and controls with equivocal symptoms were re-evaluated by a sleep disorders specialist and video-polisomnography in those who fulfilled the criteria for RBD. We did not find significant differences in frequency (13.3 versus 9.3%), proportion of females (66.7 versus 58.5%), and mean age (42.1±12.6 versus 43±7.8 years) among MS patients and controls with RLS. RBD was found in three patients (1.4%), one associated with antidepressant intake, but in none of the controls. Our study shows that RLS in MS is not more frequent than in the general population, and that RBD, although uncommon, may occur in the setting of this neurological disease. Multiple Sclerosis 2007; 13: 805-808. http://msj.sagepub.com

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