Taylor Takla, a Ph.D. candidate in the translational neuroscience program in Wayne State University's School of Medicine, recently received a two-year, $96,812 F31 grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health to study fear of falling in those with multiple sclerosis (MS).
The grant, "Investigating Fear of Falling in Multiple Sclerosis: An Interplay of Neural, Motor, Cognitive, and Psychological Factors," aims to address a major public health concern in persons with MS that results in increased falls, decreased physical activity and loss of independence. Fear of falling is a major issue for people with MS, leading to serious negative health and quality of life outcomes. It's both a risk factor and a consequence of experiencing a fall.
This creates a vicious cycle where individuals become less confident in their balance, reduce their participation in activities, get physically weaker and experience subsequent increased fall risk and greater fear of falling. This cycle results in social isolation, psychological distress and reduced overall well-being." Taylor Takla, a Ph.
D. candidate in the translational neuroscience program, Wayne State University's School of Medicine The long-term goal of the study is to break that cycle, ultimately reducing falls and increasing physical activity in the MS community. Takla aims to examine the neural, motor, cognitive and psychological factors underlying fear.