Can biofeedback-based training alleviate fatigue and vigilance performance in fatigued MS patients?

MS related fatigue might be related to autonomous nervous system (ANS) dysfunctions or to inflammation related vagal (hyper-) activation. Consequently, influencing ANS status may lead to relieve of fatigue. We used two opposite biofeedback interventions to either increase sympathetic ("self-alert training", SAT) or parasympathetic activation ("progressive muscle relaxation", PMR).

Capturing fatigue parameters: The impact of vagal processing in multiple sclerosis related cognitive fatigue.

Background: Causes of fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis remain elusive. Recently, we developed a model linking cognitive fatigue to inflammatory processes based on a neuroinflammatory reflex-arc instantiated by the vagus nerve. The relation between experienced autonomic dysfunctions, based on vagal processing, and cognitive fatigue is well-known, but an examination of the association of objectively measured vagal activity and cognitive fatigue is missing.

Dementia Apraxia Test (DATE): A Brief Tool to Differentiate Behavioral Variant Frontotemporal Dementia from Alzheimer's Dementia Based on Apraxia Profiles.

Background: Standardized praxis assessments with modern, empirically validated screening tests have substantially improved clinical evaluation of apraxia in patients with stroke. Although apraxia may contribute to early differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), no comparable test is readily available to clinicians for this purpose to date.

Objective: To design a clinically useful apraxia test for the differentiation of AD and bvFTD.