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Exercise Training Effects on Multiple Sclerosis Biomarkers of Central Nervous System and Disease Status: A Systematic Review of Intervention Studies
Raoof Negaresh, Robert W Motl, Philipp Zimmer, Motahare Mokhtarzade, Julien S Baker
First published: 08 February 2019
https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.13929
Abstract
Background
Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that can be tracked through biomarkers of disease status. We investigated the effects of exercise on MS biomarkers associated with central nervous system status including imaging, blood‐brain barrier function and neurotrophic factors.
Methods
We conducted open‐dated searches of Scopus, Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. We included studies written in English describing interventions of exercise that measured one or more of the biomarkers associated with multiple sclerosis published until October 2018.
Results
We located a total of 3012 citations through searches in electronic databases. Of these, 16 studies were eligible for review; six studies focused on magnetic resonance imaging markers, nine studies focused on neurotrophic factors, and three studies focused on blood‐brain barrier function markers. Of note, two studies included both neurotrophic factor and blood‐brain barrier function markers and are therefore included across categories of biomarkers in this review. The existing evidence from magnetic resonance imaging studies confirmed that exercise training can improve central nervous system integrity and function. There is evidence of a positive effect of exercise training on modulation of blood‐brain barrier permeability markers and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor.
Conclusions
Exercise successfully improves magnetic resonance imaging outcomes and peripheral biomarkers (i.e., brain‐derived neurotrophic factor) in people with multiple sclerosis. This suggests that exercise can be recommended as an adjuvant therapy for multiple sclerosis treatment. This conclusion is tempered by some methodological limitations including small sample sizes and high drop‐out rates in the reviewed studies.
Raoof Negaresh, Robert W Motl, Philipp Zimmer, Motahare Mokhtarzade, Julien S Baker
First published: 08 February 2019
https://doi.org/10.1111/ene.13929
Abstract
Background
Multiple sclerosis is a demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system that can be tracked through biomarkers of disease status. We investigated the effects of exercise on MS biomarkers associated with central nervous system status including imaging, blood‐brain barrier function and neurotrophic factors.
Methods
We conducted open‐dated searches of Scopus, Medline, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library. We included studies written in English describing interventions of exercise that measured one or more of the biomarkers associated with multiple sclerosis published until October 2018.
Results
We located a total of 3012 citations through searches in electronic databases. Of these, 16 studies were eligible for review; six studies focused on magnetic resonance imaging markers, nine studies focused on neurotrophic factors, and three studies focused on blood‐brain barrier function markers. Of note, two studies included both neurotrophic factor and blood‐brain barrier function markers and are therefore included across categories of biomarkers in this review. The existing evidence from magnetic resonance imaging studies confirmed that exercise training can improve central nervous system integrity and function. There is evidence of a positive effect of exercise training on modulation of blood‐brain barrier permeability markers and brain‐derived neurotrophic factor.
Conclusions
Exercise successfully improves magnetic resonance imaging outcomes and peripheral biomarkers (i.e., brain‐derived neurotrophic factor) in people with multiple sclerosis. This suggests that exercise can be recommended as an adjuvant therapy for multiple sclerosis treatment. This conclusion is tempered by some methodological limitations including small sample sizes and high drop‐out rates in the reviewed studies.