Using artificial intelligence, researchers analyzed psychological and behavioral data from over 1,000 young adults to identify predictors of exercise addiction. Published in Addictive Behaviors, this study from UMH and ISABIAL highlights perfectionism and competition level as the strongest risk factors, paving the way for early detection and preventive strategies.

Although the Sultanate of Oman has a relatively low prevalence of MS (15 cases per 100,000 people) compared to other Gulf countries, understanding the psychological, cognitive, and social burdens linked to the disease in the local context is of critical importance, especially given the increasing worldwide awareness of its impact on cognition and mental health. The disease affects vital cognitive functions in a patient’s life, such as attention, memory, and processing speed, which negatively impact their independence and quality of life. 

From this standpoint, Prof. Samir Al-Adawi, from the Department of Behavioural Medicine at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, led a research team on a multi-centre study involving clinically stable MS patients at Khawlah Hospital and Sultan Qaboos University Hospital – two of the leading neurology centres in the Sultanate of Oman.