Combined cognitive and walking training showed no clear advantage in multiple sclerosis
Improvements within training groups did not translate into a demonstrated advantage for the combined approach.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Participants reported improvements after cognitive training, treadmill walking, or combined training. Some gains persisted at follow-up, and objective test scores improved in the walking and combined groups. However, the comparisons between groups were not statistically significant. The findings therefore do not establish that the combined approach provided greater cognitive benefit than either approach alone.
Only 46 participants entered the final analysis. The abstract does not explain the exclusions or report between-group effect sizes and confidence intervals; nonsignificance does not establish equivalent effects.
What researchers found
Perceived cognitive difficulties and cognitive test performance
BrainStim versus treadmill walking versus combined training; timing of the reported between-group comparison not specified in the abstract.
Different ways of assessing cognition
The trial measured perceived cognitive difficulties with a questionnaire and objective performance with a cognitive test. These capture different outcomes, so changes in self-reported difficulties should be distinguished from changes in measured test performance.
Persistence does not prove superiority
Self-reported gains persisted for 6 months only in the combined group. Objective gains lasted that long in the walking and combined groups. A significant result in selected groups does not itself establish a significant difference between groups.
The original publication
Cognitive training, exercise training or combined training? A comparative effectiveness research study on subjective and objective cognitive outcomes in multiple sclerosis.
Gyger N, Monschein T, Filser M et al.
J Neurol · 2026
- PubMed ID
- 41543747
- Record checked
AI-assisted research and writing. This explains one selected publication; it is not a complete review of everything known. Our approach.
One more question, understood.
Keep track of the research you’ve explored.