Scientists, including Indian-born scientists, have developed a new method that uses sensors on smartphones to generate a score that reliably reflects the severity of symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Scientists, including Indian-born scientists, have developed a new method that uses sensors on smartphones to generate a score that reliably reflects the severity of symptoms in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's disease is a progressive brain disease, which is often difficult to treat effectively, because symptoms change dramatically in a few days or even hours, such as tremor and walking difficulties.
In a study published in the journal JAMA Neurology, the researchers reported that the severity of symptoms in Parkinson's patients is closely related to the symptoms generated by their smartphone app. "A smartphone-
The researchers said: "The derivative severity score of Parkinson's disease is feasible, it provides an objective measurement of motor symptoms inside and outside the clinic, and is valuable for the development of clinical care and treatment ,", including Srihari Mohan, an undergraduate at John Hopkins University in the United States.
Typically, patients with Parkinson's disease are assessed by medical experts during three or four outpatient visits per year, and subjective assessments capture only a brief snapshot of the patient's lucky symptoms.
In their home, patients may also be asked to fill out a tedious 24-
In an hour's "exercise diary," they recorded their activity ability, involuntary distorted movement, and other Parkinson's symptoms.
Then the doctor used this.
Reports or inaccurate data used to guide treatment.
Using existing smartphone components such as microphones, touch screens and accelerometer, the researchers designed five simple tasks, including voice perception, finger tapping, gait measurement, balance and reaction time.
They turned it into a smartphone app called "hopkin Pu t ".
Next, using team-designed machine learning techniques, they were able to convert the data collected from these tests into an objective Parkinson's disease severity score --
A score that better reflects the overall severity of the patient's symptoms and the response to the drug.
This smartphone assessment should be particularly useful because it does not rely on subjective observation by medical staff.
In addition, it can be administered at any time or day in the clinic or at the patient's home, where patients are unlikely to be as nervous as they are in a medical setting.