Could Low-Oxygen breathing supercharge gait therapy for MS?
NCT ID NCT07631923
First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This study tests whether breathing low-oxygen air for short periods right before walking training helps people with multiple sclerosis walk better and farther. Thirty-five participants will receive either the low-oxygen breathing or a sham (placebo) version, followed by treadmill or overground gait training. The goal is to see if this combination improves walking speed and endurance more than training alone.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Acute Intermittent Hypoxia (AIH) – brief sessions of breathing air with low oxygen
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a non-drug way to improve walking and endurance in people with multiple sclerosis.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 35 participants. The breathing intervention is experimental and may not produce meaningful or lasting improvements.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
-
About 35 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
-
Jun 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
-
Jun 2028
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
-
Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
-
18 to 75 years
- Sex
-
Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
-
Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of clinically definite multiple sclerosis * Patient-Determined Disease Steps (PDDS) score between 3 and 6 * Relapse-free for at least 6 months prior to enrollment * Age ≥ 18 years and ≤ 75 years * Resting oxygen saturation (SpO₂) ≥ 95% on room air * Systolic blood pressure between 85-140 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure between 55-90 mmHg * Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS) score ≤ 3 at the ankle and knee * Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score ≥ 24 * Ability to walk at least 10 meters with or without an assistive device * Ability to perform active ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion Exclusion Criteria: * Uncontrolled hypertension or hypotension outside the required ranges * History of epilepsy or seizures * Uncontrolled pulmonary, cardiovascular, or orthopedic disease * Premorbid or ongoing major psychiatric illness (e.g., major depression, psychosis) * Other neurological disease (e.g., stroke, traumatic brain injury, peripheral neuropathy) * Illnesses with potential to cause brain injury * Frequent or severe unexplained headaches * Pregnancy * Implanted medical devices (e.g., pacemakers, intrathecal pumps, brain stimulators)
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for Multiple sclerosis are added.
Genom att skicka in godkänner du våra Användarvillkor
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
-
The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
-
A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can exercise rebuild muscle and balance in MS?
- Can diet ease the crushing fatigue of multiple sclerosis?
- One-Time CAR-T infusion tested against progressive MS
- Can PET scans reveal hidden brain inflammation in MS?
- Can a pill rebuild the Brain's insulation? MS trial puts remyelination to the test
- Migraines and tension headaches may be hidden companions to multiple sclerosis