Acute Intermittent Hypoxia Induces Motor and Cognitive Plasticity in Persons with Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis

BackgroundMS significantly impacts motor and cognitive function, yet therapies to effectively address these impairments remain limited. This study explores acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) as a novel intervention for enhancing neuroplasticity and functional improvement in individuals with MS. ObjectiveTo examine the efficacy of a single AIH session in improving spinal motor output and cognitive performance in MS. MethodsA randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled and crossover study was done in 10 individuals with relapsing-remitting MS. Participants underwent both AIH and sham AIH on separate days. AIH consisted of 15 brief exposures of low oxygen (9% O2) alternating with normoxia (i.e., room air). Sham AIH comprised of normoxic episodes. Pre- and post-intervention evaluations included isometric ankle torque to assess motor strength and standardized tests to evaluate cognitive function. ResultsParticipants showed a significant increase in both plantarflexion and dorsiflexion ankle torque (p < .05), alongside significant enhancements in cognitive processing speeds as measured by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (p < .01) after AIH. No changes were observed in auditory/verbal memory, and no adverse events were reported. ConclusionAIH presents a promising intervention for inducing neuroplasticity and improving rehabilitation outcomes in MS, suggesting the need for further exploration into its long-term impacts and mechanisms.