Longitudinal Study to Investigate Health and Lifestyle Behavior Effects on MS: Michelle Chen, PhD

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“This study is released to try to establish an evidence base, most importantly, [by] longitudinally following people over time. Whereas most of the research in this area have been just cross sectional, meaning that we're only looking at people at a certain time point.”

A recently awarded proposal on investigating the long-term impact of modifiable health-related behaviors on cognitive decline over time among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) was granted to Michelle Chen, PhD, a core member of the Rutgers Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research. As there are currently no cures for cognitive impairment, and little available the way of pharmacologics, individuals with MS are left with alternative treatments that are focused on modifying their health behaviors to prevent the progression of the disease.

Additionally, the proposal aims to explore the environmental facilities and the challenges for individuals engaging in health-related behaviors. The title of this research grant is called “Longitudinal Impact of Health and Lifestyle Behaviors on Cognition in Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis” (1K23HD104855-01A1), which is being funded by the National Institutes for Health.¹

In a recent interview with NeurologyLive^®, Michelle Chen, PhD, a neuropsychologist at Rutgers University, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, offered an overview on her recently awarded grant on to the longitudinal impact of health and lifestyle behaviors on cognition and individuals with MS. Chen notes in the proposal that she hopes the evidence gathered from this research will help adapt this type of intervention to individuals with MS to engage in healthier behaviors.¹

REFERENCES
1. National Institute for Health. RePORT. Accessed on November 29, 2022: https://reporter.nih.gov/search/XIjLT8KgcUyW7xGdpd3DWg/project-details/10369941