Devices & Diagnostics, Hospitals

Sensors offer closer look at Parkinson’s for providers

Providers have been looking for devices that can effectively track chronic diseases or neurological disorders,and […]

Providers have been looking for devices that can effectively track chronic diseases or neurological disorders,and they may have found one in the way of sensors that do so with the progression of Parkinson’s disease, according to research by UT Southwestern Medical Center.

A portable set sensors, known as the APDM Mobility Lab, have shown success in helping clinicians monitor the depth and severity of Parkinson’s, even while patients are taking medications, researchers found.

That’s significant because the sensors allow researchers to look beyond symptoms that medications target, possibly giving a glimpse at diagnosis, which is historically difficult, researchers said.

There are currently no blood or laboratory tests that have been proven to help in diagnosing sporadic Parkinson’s disease, and diagnosis is typically based on medical history and a neurological examination and observation, officials said. The sensors monitor subtle changes in gait, stride, balance, rotation and efficiency and range of movement in a person’s upper and lower limbs. The monitoring system is often used for athletic training.

“Objective assessment tools for Parkinson’s disease are needed to accelerate progress in developing effective therapies,” said Dr. Richard Dewey, Jr., professor of neurology and neurotherapeutics and clinical director of the Clinical Center for Movement Disorders at UT Southwestern. He is also senior author of the study. “We might be able to actually measure the patient’s progress or regression thoroughly and objectively.”

The UT Southwestern findings evolved from a clinical trial comparing 135 individuals with Parkinson’s disease and 66 people without the disorder. Participants performed two tasks designed to assess gait and balance while connected to the APDM Mobility Lab through six small sensors on the limbs, chest, and lumbar area.

The study was supported by the National Institutes of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Parkinson Disease Biomarker Program. The findings appear in the Journal of the Neurological Sciences.

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