Symposium

Complementary Integrative Rehabilitation Medicine

Behavioral Health Services

Clinical Practice (assessment, diagnosis, treatment, knowledge translation/EBP, implementation science, program development)

Home Aerobic Training versus Balance Training for Cerebellar Degenerative Diseases: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Thursday, November 10, 2022

1:30 PM – 2:45 PM

Presenter(s)

Scott Barbuto, MD, PhD

Assistant Professor
Department of PM&R Columbia University Medical Center
New York, New York, United States

Slides

Background: Balance training has shown some benefits in cerebellar ataxias whereas the effects of aerobic training are relatively unknown.

Methods: Individuals with cerebellar ataxia were assigned to either home aerobic or balance training for 6-months. The primary outcome was improvement in ataxia severity as measured by the Scale for Assessment and Rating of Ataxia (SARA).

Results: Nineteen subjects were randomized to aerobic training and 17 subjects to balance training. There was excellent retention and adherence to training in the trial. Moreover, there was a statistically significant greater improvement in ataxia severity in the aerobic group compared to the balance group.

Learning Objectives:

To investigate the prior literature on balance training in spinocerebellar ataxia to understand best practices to improve individuals balance, gait, and ataxia
To examine the prior literature on aerobic training in spinocerebellar ataxia which has mostly been done in animal models of ataxia
To learn the results of a phase II study comparing home aerobic to balance training in spinocerebellar ataxia.