Preliminary evidence suggests that structured exercise programs can lead to a significant decrease in blood neurofilament light chain (NfL) levels—a biomarker of neuroaxonal activity — in patients with multiple sclerosis, according to results published in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders. Seraj Makkawi, MBBS (Hons), MSc, and colleagues reviewed 222 articles across four databases published through March 2024; seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Outdoor Pilates (standardized mean difference [SMD], -2.08; 95% CI, -2.99 to -1.17) and home-based training (SMD, -1.46; 95% CI, -2.28 to -0.64) significantly reduced NfL levels. Meanwhile, the control group showed no significant changes in NfL levels. Furthermore, subgroup analysis indicated that 8 weeks of exercise significantly reduced NfL levels. Dr. Makkawi and colleagues noted, however, that while their findings suggest that exercise could play a positive role in reducing NfL levels in patients with MS, more rigorous and well-designed studies are needed to validate their results.
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