Effectiveness of exercise interventions in animal models of multiple sclerosis

Frontiers in Medicine, 2023 · DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1143766 · Published: March 30, 2023

Simple Explanation

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a disease impacting the brain and spinal cord, often improved through exercise. This review examines how effective exercise is in treating MS using animal models, specifically focusing on Experimental Autoimmune/Allergic Encephalomyelitis (EAE) models. The aim is to provide a clearer understanding for future MS research and management. The review analyzes studies where EAE animal models underwent exercise, assessing the impact on MS symptoms. These studies suggest exercise can lessen the harshness of EAE clinical signs like motor function issues, nerve pain, and cognitive problems. The review also looks at how exercise affects the immune system and nerve regeneration in EAE. This review concludes that EAE models are useful for developing MS treatments. Animal studies suggest that exercise can help improve the progression of MS, indicating its potential as a valuable addition to MS treatment plans.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

Animal models (EAE) of multiple sclerosis

Evidence Level

Review article

Key Findings

1
Exercise regimens can reduce the severity of clinical manifestations of EAE, including neurological signs, motor function, pain, and cognitive deficits.
2
Exercise assists in ameliorating MS progression, supported by findings from previous animal studies.
3
Exercise modulates disease onset and severity in the EAE, delayed clinical sing, lower disability scores in exercise animal.

Research Summary

This review examines the effectiveness of exercise as a treatment for MS using EAE animal models, extracting data from various databases to assess the impacts of exercise on MS. The review infers that EAE is a suitable animal model for developing further understanding and treatments for MS, with findings supporting the contention that exercise assists in ameliorating MS progression. The review also highlights the need for further research to unravel the cellular and molecular pathways prompting immunomodulation that underlie the beneficial effects of exercise in MS.

Practical Implications

Potential Treatment Strategy

Exercise training can be considered as a complementary therapy for classical treatment for MS patients.

Understanding Disease Mechanisms

EAE animal models can help researchers develop further understanding and treatments for MS.

Personalized Exercise Prescription

Effective exercise prescriptions can lead to significant improvements in various aspects of health, including cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, flexibility, cognitive function, and quality of life.

Study Limitations

1
No one animal model can adequately represent the whole range of MS variability in humans or the variety of clinical presentations.
2
The EAE models only address the immunological components of MS
3
Once animals have clinically been induced with severe EAE, their degree of paralysis limits the capacity to perform physical activity

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