Actual and Imagined Music-Cued Gait Training in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Double-Blind Randomized Parallel Multicenter Trial.

Background: Actual and imagined cued gait trainings have not been compared in people with multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: To analyze the effects of cued motor imagery (CMI), cued gait training (CGT), and combined CMI and cued gait training (CMI-CGT) on motor, cognitive, and emotional functioning, and health-related quality of life in people with MS.

Methods: In this double-blind randomized parallel-group multicenter trial, people with MS were randomized (1:1:1) to CMI, CMI-CGT, or CGT for 30 minutes, 4×/week for 4 weeks. Patients practiced at home, using recorded instructions, and supported by ≥6 phone calls. Data were collected at weeks 0, 4, and 13. Co-primary outcomes were walking speed and distance, analyzed by intention-to-treat. Secondary outcomes were global cognitive impairment, anxiety, depression, suicidality, fatigue, HRQoL, motor imagery ability, music-induced motivation, pleasure and arousal, self-efficacy, and cognitive function. Adverse events and falls were continuously monitored.

Results: Of 1559 screened patients, 132 were randomized: 44 to CMI, 44 to CMI-CGT, and 44 to CGT. None of the interventions demonstrated superiority in influencing walking speed or distance, with negligible effects on walking speed (η² = 0.019) and distance (η² = 0.005) observed in the between-group comparison. Improvements in walking speed and walking distance over time corresponded to large effects for CMI, CMI-CGT, and CGT (η² = 0.348 and η² = 0.454 respectively). No severe study-related adverse events were reported.

Conclusions: CMI-GT did not lead to improved walking speed and distance compared with CMI and CGT alone in people with MS. Lack of a true control group represents a study limitation.

Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00023978.