Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Globally, Canada has the highest proportion of people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) - a life-long disorder that damages the brain. Because there is no cure for MS, and people are typically diagnosed in early adulthood, most people require treatment for the majority of their lives. Unfortunately, many continue to experience debilitating symptoms and side effects despite medications, which cost $20,000-$40,000 per person. As a result, there is a strong need for low cost behavioural treatments that help to reduce MS symptoms. So far, there is some evidence that exercise may improve thinking skills, mood, fatigue, and quality of life for people with MS. However, little is understood about how exercise might help protect the brain in order to improve these symptoms. Our study will look at the impact of a cost-free walking exercise intervention on brain structure (using an brain imaging technique called magnetic resonance imaging) and MS symptoms. Specifically, we will look at whether exercise changes the brain in people who have MS and how these brain changes relate to thinking skills, mood, fatigue, and quality of life. This is the first study of its kind. Demonstrating the effectiveness of a free, easy-to-access exercise intervention would have a significant impact in reducing the cost of care and improving the quality of life for people with MS. A better understanding of how exercise affects brain structure and MS symptoms will help doctors better treat MS symptoms. Our ultimate goal is to help people with MS build a better quality of life (with increased thinking skills, and reduced depression and fatigue) by protecting the brain from the degenerative effects of MS through exercise.