The effect of nutrition with intermittent fastingon psychological parameters in patients with multiple

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune chronic inflammatory disease manifested by demyelination and axonal damage in the central nervous system. Intermittent fasting has been found to reduce oxidative stress and inflammation in recent years. The effect of intermittent fasting on many diseases and neurological diseases is explained by the mechanism of autophagy. It is known that psychological resilience is low in MS patients, and that depression and anxiety are the most common psychological disorders. The aim of the study is to reveal the effect of intermittent fasting applied for 30 days on the levels of psychological resilience and psychological distress in individuals with MS. The research was carried out between 02.04.2022 and 01.05.2022 with 39 female and 14 male patients diagnosed with MS in Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine Neurology Department Polyclinic. Patients with an EDSS (extended disability status score) of 3 or less, no relapse in the last two years and no new lesions on MRI, patients aged 18-50 years, and patients with a body mass index of 25 and above were included in the study. After one month of intermittent fasting, the Connor-Davidson Psychological Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25) and depression and anxiety levels were determined by the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale- K10. . The obtained data were analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 (Static Package for the Social Science) program. A statistically significant difference was found in the resilience scores of MS patients after 30 days of intermittent fasting compared to before intermittent fasting (p<0.01). Psychological resilience and psychological distress scores of MS patients before and after 30-day intermittent fasting were compared according to sociodemographic characteristics (gender, BMI, age, duration of illness). A statistically significant increase was found in the psychological resilience scores of female MS patients before and after 30-day intermittent fasting feeding (p<0.01). Psychological resilience scores of male MS patients before and after 30-day intermittent fasting were found to increase statistically (p<0.05). A statistically significant decrease was found in the psychological distress levels of MS patients after one month of intermittent fasting compared to before intermittent fasting (p<0.01). There is a negative, moderate, statistically significant relationship between the levels of psychological resilience and psychological distress in patients (p<0.05). Keywords: Multiple Sclerosis, Intermittent Fasting, Psychological Resilience, Psychological Distress