Abstract
Rhythmic auditory cueing has been shown to enhance gait performance in several movement disorders. The “entrainment effect” generated by the stimulations can enhance auditory motor coupling and instigate plasticity. However, a consensus as to its influence over gait training among patients with multiple sclerosis is still warranted. A systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out to analyze the effects of rhythmic auditory cueing in studies gait performance in patients with multiple sclerosis. This systematic identification of published literature was performed according to PRISMA guidelines, from inception until Dec 2017, on online databases: Web of science, PEDro, EBSCO, MEDLINE, Cochrane, EMBASE, and PROQUEST. Studies were critically appraised using PEDro scale. Of 602 records, five studies (PEDro score: 5.7 ± 1.3) involving 188 participants (144 females/40 males) met our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis revealed enhancements in spatiotemporal parameters of gait i.e., velocity (Hedge's g: 0.67), stride length (0.70), and cadence (1.0), and reduction in timed 25 feet walking test (−0.17). Underlying neurophysiological mechanisms, and clinical implications are discussed. This present review bridges the gaps in literature by suggesting application of rhythmic auditory cueing in conventional rehabilitation approaches to enhance gait performance in the multiple sclerosis community.
Highlights
Multiple sclerosis is a prevalent, progressive demyelinating disease of the central nervous system [1]
Effects of auditory cueing on gait in patients affected from multiple sclerosis
Effects of rhythmic auditory cueing and motor imagery on gait in patients affected from multiple sclerosis
Summary
Multiple sclerosis is a prevalent, progressive demyelinating disease of the central nervous system [1]. It is one of the most common causes of non-traumatic progressive disability in younger population groups [2, 3], but is not uncommon in aged population [4]. The main pathological characteristics of multiple sclerosis include progressive demyelination, and disruption of blood brain barrier due to inflammatory changes [5]. This eventually affects the functioning of relevant axonal tracts, thereby causing widespread neurological symptoms [1, 6]. Paresthesia, sensory loss, progressive hemiparesis, ataxia, fatigue, and depression have been widely reported [7, 8]
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