Changes in visual attention are common among elders and people with multiple sclerosis. The visual attention changes contribute to difficulty with day to day functioning including falls, driving and even finding one's keys on the kitchen counter as well as contributing to deficits in other cognitive domains. Yoga emphasizes the ability to focus attention and there is some evidence that the practice of yoga may improve one's cognitive abilities. Additionally, yoga practice may improve cognitive function through other non-specific means such as improved mood, decreased stress or declines in oxidative injury. We propose a randomized, controlled 6 month phase II trial of yoga in two separate cohorts: healthy elders and subjects with mild multiple sclerosis. We will determine if yoga intervention produces improvements on a broad attentional battery that especially emphasizes attentional control. To further understand the reported beneficial effect of yoga on its practitioners, we will also determine if there is a positive impact on measures directly related to yoga practice (flexibility and balance) as well as mood, quality of life and oxidative injury markers. The yoga intervention consists of a Hatha yoga class meeting twice per week. The class is taught by experienced yoga teachers who are supervised by a nationally known yoga instructor. There are two control groups. An exercise group will have a structured walking program prescribed by a certified Health and Fitness Instructor and Personal Trainer. The program will attempt to match the Hatha yoga class for metabolic demand. The second control group will be assigned to a 6 month waiting list. The outcome measures are assessed at baseline and after the 6 month period. The primary outcome measures are alertness (quantitative EEG and self-rated scale), ability to focus attention (Stroop) and ability to shift attention (extradimensional set shifting task). Secondary attention outcome measures include the ability to sustain attention (decrement in reaction time) and ability to divide attention (Useful Field of View). Other secondary outcome measures include flexibility, balance, mood, quality of life, fatigue (in MS cohort) and decreased markers of lipid, protein, and DNA oxidative injury.

Condition	Treatment or Intervention	Phase
Multiple Sclerosis	Procedure: Yoga	Phase II

Ages Eligible for Study:  65 Years   -   85 Years,  Genders Eligible for Study:  Both

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients with MS who are mildly impaired with an expanded disability status scale of 0-4.0
• Healthy volunteers

Oregon
      Oregon Health Sciences University/Neurology, Portland,  Oregon,  97201,  United States

Study chairs or principal investigators

Dr. Barry S. Oken,  Principal Investigator,  Oregon Health and Science University   

Study ID Numbers:  1 P50 AT00066-01P3; 1 P50 AT00066-01
Record last reviewed:  August 2002
Last Updated:  October 13, 2004
Record first received:  February 2, 2001
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:  NCT00010998
Health Authority: United States: Federal Government
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this record on 2005-04-08