RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SLEEP QUALITY, BODY PERCEPTION AND MOTOR AND SENSITIVE SYMPTOMS IN PEOPLE WITH RELAPSING-REMITTING MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

Abstract

Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) is an autoimmune neurological disease in which the immune system attacks the myelin sheath of the central nervous system, causing inflammation that impairs the transmission of nerve impulses. It is characterized by relapses with exacerbation of symptoms such as fatigue, weakness in the upper and lower limbs, tremors and balance, difficulty walking, vision loss, among others, followed by remissions with partial or complete recovery, which can last months or years, during which disease progression is minimal or absent. Insomnia or poor sleep quality can occur indirectly as a consequence of RRMS, a secondary symptom caused by the presence of specific disease symptoms and pseudo-relapses. Body Perception (BP) can be defined in two ways: Body Image (BI) and Body Schema (BS). BI is related to the psychological, emotional, cognitive, sociocultural, evolutionary, genetic, and neuroscientific aspects of body image expectations. The SC is the perspective that enables, through kinesthetic and proprioceptive mechanisms, the recognition of the anatomical body and its relationship with the environment and surrounding objects. Given these definitions, the opportunity arose to relate sleep quality to body perception and symptomatic presentations. Therefore, the objective of this study was to analyze the relationship between sleep quality and body perception, through the lens of body schema and the symptomatic presentations of multiple sclerosis. Participants were 18 individuals, aged between 21 and 67, who were assessed for sleep quality using the Pittsburgh questionnaire, body perception using the Askevold Test, and symptoms through a structured interview. The results indicated that all participants with adequate sleep were classified as hyperschematic, while 67% of those with inadequate sleep were classified as hyposchematic. Furthermore, individuals with inadequate sleep showed a balanced distribution of motor and sensory symptoms, while those with adequate sleep reported predominantly sensory symptoms. Fatigue was a relevant symptom in 67% of individuals with inadequate sleep. These findings suggest that sleep quality may be associated with body awareness and symptom manifestation in RRMS, highlighting the importance of interventions that improve sleep for the management of this condition.