The Importance and Opportunity for Healthy Aging Through Lifestyle, Behavior Medicine Among Older Adults With Multiple Sclerosis: the Case Based on Physical Activity

There is a “graying” of the population of persons living with multiple sclerosis (MS), and the effects of normal aging occur on top of those associated with MS itself (i.e., aging with a long-term disabling disease). We develop the perspective that “Lifestyle Behavior Medicine for Healthy Aging with MS” may be an effective strategy for promoting healthy longevity in this immune-mediated, neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. The perspective is based on recent evidence regarding (a) outcomes of aging with MS for declines in physical and cognitive functions; (b) lifestyle behaviors as putative influences of those outcomes for yielding healthy aging in MS; and (c) health promotion, largely focused on physical activity, in the context of the patient-provider interaction in comprehensive MS care. The lack of effective pharmacological treatment options combined with evidence for age-related declines in function over-and-beyond MS itself supports implementing Lifestyle, Behavior Medicine for Healthy Aging with MS in the context of comprehensive MS care for older adults with MS.