Study of Exercise on Impact of Cognitive Functioning in Multiple Sclerosis Patients

Exclusion Criteria

• •Near visual acuity with correction 20/70 or worse.
• •Contra-indications for exercise training based on American Heart Association (AHA)/ACSM screening criteria using PAR-Q.
• •Using any medication known to have adverse effects on motor or cognitive function, including monoamine oxidase inhibitors, sympathomimetics, antipsychotic agents, modafinil, oxybutynin, tricyclic antidepressants, cholinesterase inhibitors and anticonvulsants other than gabapentin and pregabalin. The following are permitted if the patient has been on a stable dose for at least 6 weeks: short acting benzodiazepines (qhs administration only), anti-spasmodics, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.
• •Received steroids in last 30 days.
• •Relapse in the last 90 days.
• •Undergone neuropsychological testing within the past 6-months.
• •Neurological/psychological disease other than MS that may impact cognitive status, e.g. Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's, stroke, TIA, Vascular Dementia, Huntington's, traumatic brain injury or chronic CNS infection.
• •Dementia based on a definition validated in people with MS using the MACFIMS (\> 2 SD below the mean on at least one memory test and \> 2 SD below the mean on at least one neuropsychological test in another domain).
• •Prior history of diagnosis or treatment for serious mental illness (obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, other psychotic disorders, bipolar disorder).
• •Diagnosis of major depressive disorder prior to the diagnosis of MS.
• •History of significant developmental or learning disorder that may affect participation and confound interpretation of study results.
• •Current major depressive disorder.
• •Current alcohol or other drug abuse as measured by the WHO Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (WHO ASSIST V3.0).