Can Emotional Health Influence MS Treatment Outcomes?

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exerciseEmotional health is important when battling any illness, including multiple sclerosis (MS). Despite this, sometimes the benefits of emotional health are overlooked by healthcare providers. Excessive stress can lead to anxiety and depression, which increases hormones such as adrenalin and glucocorticoids that shut down the immune system. Glucocorticoids have well-known negative effects on the nervous system.

It is no surprise then that two research teams, including one supported by the National MS Society, areĀ studyingĀ ways to increaseĀ emotional wellness in people with MS.

For example,Ā Kimberly Beckwith McGuire, PhD, and her co-workers at theĀ Kessler Institute for RehabilitationĀ inĀ West Orange, NJĀ published a recentĀ report on their evaluation of a psychoeducational MS wellness program inĀ the International Journal of MS Care. The scientists studiedĀ forty-three people with MSĀ who participated inĀ a 10-week wellness program. The programĀ involvedĀ 90-minute group sessions aimed at increasing awareness of social, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual factors. Eleven people with MS who were not in the program served as controls. The subjects filled out surveys to assessĀ depression, anxiety, stress, cognition, pain, social support, and fatigue.

The group participating in the wellness programĀ experiencedĀ statistically significantĀ reductions in depression, anxiety, overall mental health, perceived stress, and pain compared to theĀ controls. The program could serve as a model for the supplemental treatment of people with MS in general.

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A second study publishedĀ in BioMedCentral PsychiatryĀ by Dr. Keryn L. Taylor and collaboratorsĀ examinedĀ 2459 people with MS who filled out anĀ online survey capturing information onĀ demographics; diagnostic history; level of disability; conditions occurring alongside MS; fatigue; depression; andĀ lifestyle and health behaviors.

AboutĀ one-fifth of people in this study hadĀ depression. Within that group, about 93% had clinically significant fatigue.Ā Poor diet seemed to increase the risk for depression. In fact, dietary factors also decreased the risk for depression, including takingĀ omega-3 fatty acids (particularly flaxseed oil) supplements and vitamin D supplements, eating fish regularly,Ā meditating, and consuming moderate alcohol.

The results of these two studies are promising and underscore the importance of not just managing the symptoms of MS, but also paying attention to emotional health and lifestyle factors.

Further research on lifestyle factors and their impact on MS is a priority of the National MS society, so additional studies of this nature areĀ likely in the works. Hopefully this research will have a positive impact on improvingĀ the quality of life of those with the disease.