Five Days of Acute Intermittent Hypoxia Is Safe and Improves Somatic Motor Function in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis

Five days of acute intermittent hypoxia in ambulatory adults with multiple sclerosis improved ankle plantarflexion torque (beta = 8.74 Nm, p < 0.001) and 6-minute walk distance (beta = 10.14 m, p = 0.039).

• Why it matters: Walking impairment is common in multiple sclerosis, but rehabilitation may be limited by insufficient training-induced neuroplasticity, so a safe, repeatable priming approach is needed.
• What they did: In a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled crossover trial, 23 ambulatory adults with MS received 15 daily ~60 s AIH episodes (FiO2 = 0.09; SpO2 target 84–88%) versus Sham, with outcomes measured pre-, post-, and follow-up.
• The result: No serious intervention-related adverse events occurred and follow-up MRI showed no new MS activity; AIH increased plantarflexion torque by 17.5% post-intervention and 29.2% at follow-up, and improved 6MWT, while dorsiflexion torque, T25FW, and MSWS-12 did not differ.

AI summary of the abstract · may contain errors · not medical advice · read the paper.