Examining the Effects of Video-game Exercise on Mobility and Brain Plasticity in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

Examining the Effects of Dance, Dance Revolution on Mobility, Brain Plasticity and Cognition in Individuals With Multiple Sclerosis

Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) may offer an innovative and highly effective format for delivering exercise programs to people with multiple sclerosis (MS). It is a fun, engaging and interactive video game that requires players to move their feet to targets while matching the rhythm of a song. In addition, DDR, involving both aerobic exercise and cognitive training, is an ideal intervention for improving cognitive functioning in those with MS. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the use of DDR as a novel and highly specific exercise intervention to improve mobility and cognition among individuals with MS.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Multiple Sclerosis
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Dance Dance Revolution video game play

Detailed Description

Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) may offer an innovative and highly effective format for delivering exercise programs to people with MS. It is a fun, engaging and interactive video game that requires players to move their feet to targets while matching the rhythm of a song. In addition, DDR, involving both aerobic exercise and cognitive training, is an ideal intervention for improving cognitive functioning in those with MS. The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the use of DDR as a novel and highly specific exercise intervention to improve mobility and cognition among individuals with MS. We will be guided by the following three specific aims and hypotheses:

Specific Aim 1: Determine if an eight-week exercise program administered using DDR improves dynamic balance in people with MS relative to a wait-list control group.

Hypothesis 1: Dynamic balance as measured by the Berg Balance Scale will be more improved with the DDR intervention than the wait-list control group.

Specific Aim 2: Determine if the DDR intervention, combining fitness and cognitive training, over the course of an eight-week intervention, will have a more positive effect on domains of processing speed and executive control, than a wait-list control group.

Hypothesis 2: The DDR group relative to the wait-list control group, will show significant improvement in cognitive functioning as assessed by the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT), a measure of processing speed, and executive functioning. Specifically, we hypothesize that given severe deficits in processing speed and executive control, participation in a DDR intervention, will result in a significant improvement on the PASAT, a widely used measure to assess cognitive functioning in patients with MS.

Specific Aim 3: We will also examine whether improvements in cognitive processes engendered by DDR on the PASAT will be supported by changes in underlying neural circuits, as inferred from patterns of event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) activation obtained in a 3 Tesla scanner.

Hypothesis 3: Improvements in cognition as indexed by higher accuracy scores and faster reaction time on the PASAT, will be accompanied by a change in the recruitment of underlying neural processes as inferred from functional magnetic resonance imaging. MS participants in the DDR group will show an increase in recruitment of the attentional network, and more specifically the prefrontal and parietal cortices, cortical regions responsible for successful performance on the PASAT task.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Ohio
    • Columbus, Ohio, United States, 43210
      • The Ohio State University Atwell Hall

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 30 years to 59 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Expanded Disability Status Score of < 5 and a diagnosis of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis

Exclusion Criteria:

• other neurological or orthopedic diagnosis that limits ambulation, age 30-59

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Dance Dance Revolution game play; Dance Dance Revolution video game play	Other: Dance Dance Revolution video game play; Individuals play dance dance revolution 3 times a week for 8 weeks
No Intervention: control; individuals continue usual care for 8 weeks

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Berg Balance Scale	The Berg Balance scale consists of 14 functional activities that test static and dynamic balance. Each item is scored on a scale of 0-4 with higher scores indicating better balance	after 8 weeks
PASAT	The PASAT is a measure of sustained attention, working memory and information processing speed.	after 8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
4 square step test	requires a person to step rapidly in a multi-directional pattern over a cane. It predicts fallers	after 8 weeks
The Activities Specific Balance Confidence Scale	Measures fear of falling. Subjects rate their balance confidence on 10 items.	after 8 weeks
GAITRite	individuals walk on a computerized carpet that records spatiotemporal aspects of gait such as velocity and stride length.	after 8 weeks
6 minute walk test	subjects walk for 6 minutes and distance walked is measured	Immediately prior to starting the intervention/control period,, after 8 week intervention/control period and then at an 8 week follow up
physical activity	subjects wear an accelerometer for 5 days which records how active they are.	after 8 weeks
multiple sclerosis quality of life inventory	the MS quality of life inventory is filled out to measure the impact of MS on the individuals quality of life.	after 8 weeks
fMRI	individuals will go into an MRI and undergo neuropsychological and motor testing to examine for neuroplasticity	after 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Ohio State University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ruchika Prakash, PhD, Ohio State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2011
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 1, 2015
• Study Completion (Actual): December 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 7, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 29, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): January 31, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 7, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 5, 2017
• Last Verified: April 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: cognition; multiple sclerosis; neuroplasticity; mobility; videogame play
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Nervous System Diseases; Immune System Diseases; Demyelinating Autoimmune Diseases, CNS; Autoimmune Diseases of the Nervous System; Demyelinating Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Multiple Sclerosis; Sclerosis
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2011H0048