Treating New Learning Deficits in MS: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Neuropsychology & Neuroscience Laboratory study uses fMRI to examine cerebral activity during learning and in people with MS.

Individuals with MS, with documented impairment in memory and new learning, are randomly assigned to either a memory retraining group or a placebo control group. Outcome is currently measured through two mechanisms: (1) a traditional neuropsychological (NP) battery and (2) an assessment of global functioning (AGF) examining the impact of the treatment on daily activities. The researchers have recently been awarded a supplement to the clinical trial to examine the impact of the targeted behavioral intervention on functional cerebral activity using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI). The goal is to determine the effects of treatment on a specific set of neural subsystems involved in learning and memory.

Read more in the latest issue of INNOVATIONS (Fall 2007, vol 7, issue 2).