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Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday 8am - 5pm Wednesday 8am - 4pm Thursday 8am - 5pm Friday 8am - 5pm

Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory

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Chicago, IL
Exercise Neuroscience Research Laboratory

Our mission is to advance research in neurological conditions to support those that are affected.

Dedicated to the study of exercise and its life changing benefits in persons with multiple sclerosis!

02/27/2026

Physical activity is important for people with multiple sclerosis, but how can we practically identify who is at risk for low physical activity levels?

"This study aimed to develop a clinically useful approach combining patient-reported outcomes and objective measures to determine whether PwMS meet step count goals."

Read more in Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair: https://doi.org/10.1177/15459683251412279

Michael VanNostrand, Patrick Monaghan, Taylor Takla, Nora Fritz

02/24/2026

Drs. Lexi Huynh and Robert Motl published a pilot RCT demonstrating that a COM‑B-based physical activity intervention can meaningfully boost physical activity levels and enhance mental health in people newly diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. This informs future research by displaying how targeted behavior‑change strategies can make a real difference during a critical period post‑diagnosis.

Read more in Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.msard.2026.107031

02/23/2026

We are seeking participants for a study that will help us understand physical, cognitive, and mental health in multiple sclerosis! The Race, Ethnicity, and Active Lifestyle in Multiple Sclerosis (REAL MS) study is recruiting remote volunteers WITH and WITHOUT MS to participate.

To sign up for more information, please fill out this form: https://uic.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bPJArc7s7hjOHP0 or contact REALMS@uic.edu.

02/20/2026

We are hosting a free, online event that will feature a discussion about exercising with multiple sclerosis from two perspectives!
To share her lived experience, Erin Stevenson is an MS warrior who leads children's yoga classes and is now training for the Ironman.
To share his research perspective, Robert Motl, PhD is a professor at UIC specializing in exercise for MS.

Join us on Wednesday, March 11 at 12 PM CDT! This will be a great conversation that you don't want to miss. See Zoom meeting information below.

02/18/2026

Can one acute bout of exercise reduce anxiety and improve mood in people with multiple sclerosis and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?

Previous research on the effects of exercise training on anxiety symptoms in MS is scarce and has not focused on people who experience symptoms indicative of GAD. A study led by Petra Šilić and Dr. Robert Motl demonstrated significant immediate and sustained reductions in state anxiety following an acute bout of moderate-intensity treadmill walking. This reveals exercise training as a potential avenue for managing anxiety in people with MS who have GAD.

Read more in Anxiety, Stress, & Coping: https://doi.org/10.1080/10615806.2026.2625841

02/10/2026

Do you have multiple sclerosis and a history of depressive symptoms? This clinical trial is seeking volunteers to participate in a remote exercise program. For more information or to sign up, email METSforMS@uic.edu or click this link: https://uic.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_7ZGA5C1MXWl8bDo

02/02/2026

Real-world walking assessments have been established as valid and reliable measures of walking performance among persons with multiple sclerosis. However, how well do these assessment outcomes represent the lived walking experience with MS?

Qualitative literature has sought to capture these experiences, and this systematic review synthesizes the evidence to generate a set of themes that describe how walking with MS impacts activity participation in homes and communities.

The results point to the need for policy and infrastructure changes, educational models, and interventions that holistically support the physical and social needs of persons with MS.

"This study reinforces the understanding of walking with MS and dynamic and multifaceted, shaped by physical, societal, emotional and relationship factors, and challenges researchers and clinicians to consider these elements when assessing and promoting community walking in persons with MS."

Read more in Disability and Rehabilitation: https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2025.2606104
Emily J. Wood, Brook Galna, Georgios Mavropalias, Priyankara Manoj Rajakaruna & Yvonne C. Learmonth

01/26/2026

Past research in the general population has noted a decline in exercise-induced effects after ending exercise. Could exercise booster sessions help preserve these effects in persons with multiple sclerosis?

This study aimed to investigate how exercise booster sessions may affect aerobic capacity, muscle strength, and physical function over a 40-week follow-up period.

Read more in Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2025.12.013

01/23/2026

Many performance-based measures have been utilized in multiple sclerosis research to determine walking ability, such as the timed 25-foot walk, 6-minute walk, and timed Up and Go. However, these assessments do not capture the patient's perception of their own mobility.

Researchers sought to examine the construct validity of scores from the 12-item multiple sclerosis walking scale (MSWS-12). These results support the application of this assessment in clinical research and practice for young, middle-aged, and older adults with multiple sclerosis.

Read more in Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2025.09.023

Robert Motl, Petra Šilić, Trinh L.T. Huynh, Brenda Jeng

01/20/2026

Looking for a fun way to engage with other MS warriors or caregivers in Chicago? Register now for the 3rd Annual MS-ing Around Comedy Show Fundraiser! This event is free to all those living with MS. Proceeds benefit MS-ing Around, a nonprofit whose mission is to help find the joy and ease in living with an autoimmune disease.

Purchase tickets and see more information: https://www.msingaround.org/event-details/3rd-annual-ms-ing-around-comedy-show-fundraiser

01/16/2026

A recent scoping review mapped menopause-related considerations in women with multiple sclerosis. This review highlights how variability in defining and analytically handling menopause and chronological age may contribute to inconsistent findings across MS literature, particularly in relation to disability and symptom trajectories. Importantly, the work also underscores the critical gap in the literature: the limited inclusion of qualitative perspectives capturing lived experiences of menopause among women with MS.

Researchers emphasize the need for more precise, longitudinal, and biologically anchored approaches to studying menopause as a potential inflection point in MS-related outcomes.

Read more in Maturitas: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2026.108826

Dawn Morgan, Victoria Aviado Flores, Stephanie Buxhoeveden, Robert Motl, Natalie Brounsuzian, Alexandra Christina Simpson, Jennifer Hill, Yolanda Hardy, Cristina Almeida Flores Román

Address

1919 W Taylor Street, AHSB 545
Chicago, IL
60612

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 4pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Telephone

+13124134967

Website

https://enrl.ahs.uic.edu/, https://linktr.ee/enrluic

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