Impact of exercise therapy on the development of impaired glucose tolerance and skeletal muscle contractile properties in MS and EAE

Abstract

MS is characterized by muscle weakness and fatigue, resulting in an inactive lifestyle. Inactivity can lead to secondary health risks like insulin resistance (IR). In other pathologies, physical exercise is used in the treatment of IR. Exercise is also used for the improvement of MS symptoms due to inactivity. However, the effect of exercise on IR in MS and EAE, an MS animal model, is unknown. The study aims to investigate the exercise effect on IR in EAE and MS; and on characteristics and contractile properties of skeletal muscles in EAE and muscle power in MS. The data of this study suggest that MS patients have a higher risk to develop IGT, compared to healthy controls, which can probably be stabilized by physical exercise. Muscle weakness, predominantly knee flexion, can be diminished by means of the applied training program in an MS population, with a positive impact on fatigue and general lifestyle. There is a training effect on clinical symptoms in EAE rats, yet further research