Thanks to research projects funded over the past 25 years by AISM and its Foundation, it has become clear that rehabilitation—previously considered merely a tool for neuromotor re-education—is a genuine treatment capable of slowing the progression of disability in people with multiple sclerosis, as it stimulates neural plasticity; this occurs primarily during aerobic activity.

In multiple sclerosis, aerobic capacity (VO₂ max) is reduced even in patients with mild or moderate disability, contributing to fatigue, deconditioning, and a decline in quality of life. Adapted aerobic exercise could improve these parameters, but studies using direct, portable measurements of VO₂ max are still limited. The AISM Foundation project—“Improving Cardiorespiratory Capacity and Reducing Fatigue in MS Through Adapted Aerobic Exercise”—which will be carried out thanks to the support of the Canali Foundation, aims to explore this promising field for people with multiple sclerosis. Through monitoring conducted with a VO₂ max analyzer, it will be possible to assess, based on proven data, whether an adapted aerobic exercise program can improve cardiorespiratory capacity, reduce fatigue, and enhance quality of life in patients with MS.

The Canali Foundation has fully funded the purchase of two VO₂ max analysis devices—one laboratory unit and one portable unit—which will be essential for carrying out this research project but will also serve as valuable tools for future research initiatives.
The project will take place at the innovative NeuroBRITE Center, where the two pieces of equipment have been installed. NeuroBRITE is the AISM Foundation’s newly established center of excellence for neurorehabilitation research, built on the Association’s decades of experience in this specific field of research.