The effects of multidisciplinary rehabilitation on neuroimaging, biological, cognitive and motor outcomes in individuals with premanifest Huntington's disease

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Title

Journal of the Neurological Sciences

ISSN

0022510X

Volume

416

Publisher

Elsevier

School

School of Medical and Health Sciences / School of Science / Exercise Medicine Research Institute

RAS ID

32274

Funders

Lotterywest

Comments

Bartlett, D. M., Govus, A., Rankin, T., Lampit, A., Feindel, K., Poudel, G., ... & Cruickshank, T. M. (2020). The effects of multidisciplinary rehabilitation on neuroimaging, biological, cognitive and motor outcomes in individuals with premanifest Huntington's disease. Journal of the Neurological Sciences, 416, article 117022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2020.117022

Abstract

© 2020 Elsevier B.V. Background: Huntington's disease (HD) is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative condition for which there are currently no proven disease-modifying therapies. Lifestyle factors have been shown to impact on the age of disease onset and progression of disease features. We therefore investigated the effects of a nine-month multidisciplinary rehabilitation intervention on neuroimaging, biological and clinical disease outcomes in individuals with premanifest HD. Methods: 31 individuals with premanifest HD participated in the study. Eighteen participants underwent a nine-month multidisciplinary rehabilitation intervention comprising aerobic and resistance exercise, computerised cognitive training, dual-task training and sleep hygiene and nutritional guidance. The remaining 13 participants were allocated to a standard care control group. Neuroimaging, biological, cognitive, motor and cardiorespiratory fitness data was collected. Results: Participants displayed good adherence (87%) and compliance (85%) to the intervention. Maintenance of the shape of the right putamen was observed in the intervention group when compared to the control group. The intervention group displayed significant improvements in verbal learning and memory, attention, cognitive flexibility and processing speed following the intervention when compared to the control group. Performance on the mini-social cognition and emotional assessment (mini-SEA) was maintained in the intervention group, but decreased in the control group. No changes were observed in serum neurofilament light protein levels, postural stability outcomes or cardiorespiratory fitness. Conclusion: This study adds to the accumulating body of literature to suggest that multidisciplinary rehabilitation is of clinical benefit for individuals with HD. Large randomised controlled trials are necessary to determine the extent to which benefits occur across the spectrum of the disease.

DOI

10.1016/j.jns.2020.117022

Access Rights

subscription content

Link to Full Text

Share

 
COinS