Digital Interventions and Wearable Devices for Preventative Care in MS: Michelle Chen, PhD

WATCH TIME: 4 minutes

“I think [about] preclinical stages in terms of prevention with cognitive decline because in MS, a lot of it is that once you start having the symptoms, it might be even a little bit too late to intervene.”

Advances in alternative medicine such as incorporating digital cognitive behavioral therapy have become more of an option for patients that have declined cognitively. There is no cure for cognitive decline, for example, in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), but individuals can reduce the progression of the disease through preventative care.

Preventive care for patients with MS through the use of digital interventions may include using mobile or wearable devices to track their progress. Patients with the devices can view their performance and symptoms as they change their behavior and lifestyle to be healthier. Many such devices have begun to be explored in the clinical care of diseases like MS, particularly for symptoms such as fatigue and cognition.

Recently in an interview with NeurologyLive^®, Michelle Chen, PhD, neuropsychologist, Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, shared her perspective on the different nonpharmacological interventions to prevent disease progression such as cognitive dysfunction in MS. Chen also talked more on using digital interventions for preventative care and wearable devices to monitor the health of the patients.