Summary: Investigators at the University of Washington, Seattle, are recruiting 108 people with all types of MS or spinal cord injury nationwide for a study comparing the effects on depression of two telephone-coordinated exercise programs. The study, also called the inMotion study, is funded by the National Institutes on Disability and Rehabilitation Research.
Rationale: Depression is common during the course of multiple sclerosis. In fact, studies have suggested that clinical depression, the severest form of depression, is more frequent among people with MS than it is in the general population or in persons with other chronic, disabling conditions. Some research has indicated that exercise can improve depression in people with MS.
Eligibility and Details: Participants should be at least 45 years old, have MS or spinal cord injury, and should meet the criteria for Major Depressive Disorder or chronic depression. Further details on enrollment criteria are available from the contact below.
After several baseline phone calls, and wearing an accelerometer (a device that measures physical activity, similar to a pedometer) for seven days, participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. In Group A, a research study counselor will help participants to develop a personalized exercise program, based on individual motivation and need. The counselor also will provide six to eight follow-up phone counseling sessions, helping participants to raise motivation, track progress, problem solve, and make changes to the exercise program as needed.
In Group B, participants will receive one 60-minute phone session during which a counselor will review how to exercise safely and provide extra information on how to find exercises that suit individual needs. No follow-up counselor calls will be made to Group B. Both groups will receive three more questionnaire calls at Weeks 6, 12, and 24 of the study period.
Participants will be reimbursed for their time and for phone expenses up to $120.
The primary goal of this study is to determine how each of these exercise strategies affects depression, as measured by a specific clinical scale. A secondary goal is to determine the effectiveness of each program in increasing physical activity, according to a questionnaire.
Contact: To learn more about the enrollment criteria for this study, and to find out if you are eligible to participate, please contact:
