Abstract
Physical activity could play a key role in improving the quality of life, particularly in patients with nervous system diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS). Through lactacid anaerobic training, this study aims to investigate the effects at a bio-psycho-physical level to counteract the chronic fatigue associated with the pathology, and to improve mental health at a psychological and neurotrophic level. Eight subjects (age: 34.88 ± 4.45 years) affected by multiple sclerosis were involved. A lactate threshold training program was administered biweekly for 12 weeks at the beginning of the study (T0), at the end of the study (T1) and at 9 months after the end of the study (T2), with physical, psychological and hematochemicals parameters, and dietary habits being tested. The results obtained confirmed that lactacid exercise can influence brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels as well as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) levels. In addition, levels of baseline lactate, which could be best used as an energy substrate, showed a decrease after the protocol training. Self-efficacy regarding worries and concerns management significantly increased from T0 to T1. The eating attitudes test (EAT-26) did not highlight any eating disease in the patients with a normal diet enrolled in our study. Physical exercise also greatly influenced the patients psychologically and emotionally, increasing their self-esteem. Lactate threshold training, together with dietary habits, appears to exert synergic positive effects on inflammation, neural plasticity and neuroprotection, producing preventive effects on MS symptoms and progression.
Highlights
The benefits of physical activity on health are evident in the medical field: prolonged exercise plays a decisive role in modulating certain anti-inflammatory effects [1,2] and can preserve cognitive function during aging [3] and in neuropathological conditions [4].The relationship between physical activity and the nervous system is evident at various levels
The exercise that determines the increase in lactate production is called lactate threshold (LT) training, which identifies the increase in blood lactate
The statistically significant results were highlighted by comparing the values obtained before and after the training period using bioimpedance analysis (BIA), with an increase in total body water (p < 0.05) and in basal metabolic rate (p < 0.05)
Summary
The benefits of physical activity on health are evident in the medical field: prolonged exercise plays a decisive role in modulating certain anti-inflammatory effects [1,2] and can preserve cognitive function during aging [3] and in neuropathological conditions [4].The relationship between physical activity and the nervous system is evident at various levels. The benefits of physical activity on health are evident in the medical field: prolonged exercise plays a decisive role in modulating certain anti-inflammatory effects [1,2] and can preserve cognitive function during aging [3] and in neuropathological conditions [4]. Physical exercise is involved in the balance regulation of neurotransmitters [5]. It can improve cognitive and autonomic system functions [6,7] by influencing the concentration of circulating epinephrine and norepinephrine [8] and through modulating the expression of some neurotrophic factors (such as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)), even in pathological conditions [9,10]. The exercise that determines the increase in lactate production is called lactate threshold (LT) training, which identifies the increase in blood lactate (bL)
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