A palm-worn device to quantify rigidity in Parkinson’s disease
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Date
2019-02
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier B.V.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Parkinsonian rigidity is identified on clinical examination as resistance to passive movement. Measurement of rigidity commonly relies on ordinal rating scales (MDS-UPDRS), however instrumented objective measures may provide greater mechanistic insight. NEW METHOD: We present a palm-worn instrument to objectively quantify rigidity on a continuous scale. The device employs a miniature motor to flex the third digit of the hand about the metacarpophalangeal joint whilst transducers record flexion/extension forces. We aim to determine congruence with the MDS-UPDRS, investigate sensitivity to the impact of deep brain stimulation (DBS) and contralateral movement, and make comparisons with healthy individuals. Eight participants with Parkinson's disease underwent evaluation during conditions: on and off DBS, and with and without contralateral limb movement to activate rigidity. During each DBS condition, wash-in/out effects were tracked using both our instrument and two blinded clinical raters. Sixteen healthy volunteers (age-matched/young) served as controls. RESULTS: Rigidity measured using our instrument had moderate agreement with the MDS-UPDRS and showed differences between therapeutic state, activation conditions, and disease/healthy cohorts. Rigidity gradually worsened over a one-hour period after DBS cessation, but improved more rapidly with DBS resumption. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Previous attempts to quantify rigidity include manual approaches where a clinician is required to manipulate limbs while sensors passively gather information, or large automated instruments to move the wrist or elbow. CONCLUSION: Given its ability to track changes in rigidity due to therapeutic intervention, our technique could have applications where continuous measurement is required or where a suitably qualified rater is absent.
Description
Keywords
Rigidity, Stiffness, Parkinson's disease, Objective monitoring, Movement disorders
Citation
Perera, T., W. L. Lee, M. Jones, J. L. Tan, E. L. Proud, A. Begg, N. C. Sinclair, R. Peppard, and H. J. McDermott. 2019. A Palm-Worn Device to Quantify Rigidity in Parkinson's Disease. Journal of Neuroscience Methods. 317: 113-120.