Can brain training beat MS fatigue? new study seeks answers
NCT ID NCT06809192
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times
Summary
This study tests whether relaxation training, activity planning, and cognitive therapy can reduce fatigue and improve daily functioning in adults with multiple sclerosis. About 112 participants will try these techniques via telehealth sessions. The goal is to find which components work best to ease fatigue and help people stay active in their social roles.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- cognitive behavioral therapy components (relaxation training, behavioral activation, cognitive therapy)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could point toward a practical, non-drug way to manage MS fatigue and improve social participation.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early optimization trial with only 112 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. Fatigue is complex and may not respond to these techniques alone.
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
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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
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About 112 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Jan 2025
- Expected to finish
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Mar 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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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
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
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Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Confirmed MS diagnosis of any subtype 2. Score of 4 or higher on the Fatigue Severity Scale 3. Able to fluently converse and read in English 4. 18 years of age or older 5. Able to comply with study procedures and complete self-report measures 6. Willing to have intervention sessions audiotaped for fidelity coding 7. Has experienced fatigue for 3 or more months Exclusion Criteria: 1. MS relapse within last 30 days (although participants will be considered eligible after the 30-day window) 2. Change in disease modifying medications (DMTs) in the prior three months (although participants will be considered eligible after the 3-month window) 3. Current suicidal ideation with intent or plan as indicated by a score of ≥1 on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 suicide item and further assessment via the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (although individuals with suicidal ideation but no intent or plan will be considered eligible) 4. Currently engaged in psychotherapy for fatigue 5. Currently participating in another research study that could impact fatigue such as intervention studies targeting mood, energy management, exercise/physical activity, and diet (although participants can be screened for eligibility again once they have completed the other research study)
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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.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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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.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Multiple Sclerosis Center at UW Medical Center - Northwest
RECRUITINGSeattle, Washington, 98133, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
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- 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