An Update on the Measurement of Motor Cerebellar Dysfunction in Multiple Sclerosis

Katherine Hope Kenyon, Frederique Boonstra, Gustavo Noffs, Helmut Butzkueven, Adam P. Vogel, Scott Kolbe, Anneke van der Walt

Research output: Contribution to journalReview ArticleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a progressive disease that often affects the cerebellum. It is characterised by demyelination, inflammation, and neurodegeneration within the central nervous system. Damage to the cerebellum in MS is associated with increased disability and decreased quality of life. Symptoms include gait and balance problems, motor speech disorder, upper limb dysfunction, and oculomotor difficulties. Monitoring symptoms is crucial for effective management of MS. A combination of clinical, neuroimaging, and task-based measures is generally used to diagnose and monitor MS. This paper reviews the present and new tools used by clinicians and researchers to assess cerebellar impairment in people with MS (pwMS). It also describes recent advances in digital and home-based monitoring for people with MS.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)761-775
Number of pages15
JournalThe Cerebellum
Volume22
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Aug 2023

Keywords

  • Acoustic speech analysis
  • Cerebellum
  • Home-based monitoring
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Neuroimaging

Cite this