SMART MS is a new research project funded by the National Institute for Health Research. The SMART MS project is led by teams from the University of Lincoln and the Institute of Mental Health in Nottingham.  

SMART – Strengthening Mental Abilities with Relational Training – is an online ‘brain training’ programme, which aims to improve thinking skills. SMART has been found to improve a range of thinking skills in children. Within a clinical sample of Alzheimer’s dementia patients, improvements were also found. Our research aims to determine whether SMART can be tested as a treatment for improving thinking skills in people with MS.

The first phase of research has been completed. This phase of research aimed to find out if SMART is easy to use and acceptable for individuals with MS. Thank you to all of you who contributed to this first phase (advertised in the NEuRoMS newsletter). Participants found SMART to be easy to operate and suitable for use by people with MS. Participants praised the simple and visually attractive SMART interface. Participant feedback also highlighted the value of regular telephone support to address any difficulties and maintain progress, and this will inform our approach to delivering SMART in the next phase of research.

The SMART MS project is currently underway with our second phase of research. This next phase aims to determine whether we can do a large study to test if SMART improves thinking skills in people with MS. Two out of every three participants will be offered access to an evidence-based brain-training intervention. As this is a feasibility stage of research it is difficult to determine immediate impact for the NHS. However, we are taking a necessary step towards developing a definitive trial: which could inform treatment options for improving thinking skills in people with MS.

Chief Investigator: Dr Nima Golijani-Moghaddam (University of Lincoln)

PPI Lead: Dr James Turton

Local Investigator: Dr Nikos Evangelou, neurologist.

Collaborators: Prof Roshan das Nair, Dr David Dawson, Dr Annie Hawton, Dr Graham Law, Dr Bryan Roche, and Dr Elise Rowan.

Post-Doctoral Research Associate: Dr Rupert Burge

Assistant Clinical Psychologist: Alexandra Frost 

If you are interested in hearing more about the SMART MS project, please contact:

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Twitter: @SMARTMSStudy

This project is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (Grant Reference Number NIHR201990).

The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.