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Collins LM, Roberts R, Cleary H, Diskin J, Kitt D, Van Bommel-Rutgers I, Smits-Engelsman BCM, Crowley EK, Sullivan AM. Intensive training programme improves handwriting in a community cohort of people with Parkinson's disease. Ir J Med Sci 2024; 193:389-395. [PMID: 37249793 PMCID: PMC10808167 DOI: 10.1007/s11845-023-03404-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND People with Parkinson's disease (PwP) often report problems with their handwriting before they receive a formal diagnosis. Many PwP suffer from deteriorating handwriting throughout their illness, which has detrimental effects on many aspects of their quality of life. AIMS To assess a 6-week online training programme aimed at improving handwriting of PwP. METHODS Handwriting samples from a community-based cohort of PwP (n = 48) were analysed using systematic detection of writing problems (SOS-PD) by two independent raters, before and after a 6-week remotely monitored physiotherapy-led training programme. Inter-rater variability on multiple measures of handwriting quality was analysed. The handwriting data was analysed using pre-/post-design in the same individuals. Multiple aspects of the handwriting samples were assessed, including writing fluency, transitions between letters, regularity in letter size, word spacing, and straightness of lines. RESULTS Analysis of inter-rater reliability showed high agreement for total handwriting scores and letter size, as well as speed and legibility scores, whereas there were mixed levels of inter-rater reliability for other handwriting measures. Overall handwriting quality (p = 0.001) and legibility (p = 0.009) significantly improved, while letter size (p = 0.012), fluency (p = 0.001), regularity of letter size (p = 0.009), and straightness of lines (p = 0.036) were also enhanced. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study show that this 6-week intensive remotely-monitored physiotherapy-led handwriting programme improved handwriting in PwP. This is the first study of its kind to use this tool remotely, and it demonstrated that the SOS-PD is reliable for measuring handwriting in PwP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy M Collins
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Rachel Roberts
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Hannah Cleary
- Pharmaceutical Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - James Diskin
- Corrib Physiotherapy, Claregalway, Co, Galway, Ireland
| | - Donna Kitt
- Corrib Physiotherapy, Claregalway, Co, Galway, Ireland
| | | | - Bouwien C M Smits-Engelsman
- Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- Physical Activity, Sport and Recreation, Faculty Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Erin K Crowley
- Pharmaceutical Care Research Group, School of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Aideen M Sullivan
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland.
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Motor cortex excitability is reduced during freezing of upper limb movement in Parkinson's disease. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2022; 8:161. [PMID: 36424411 PMCID: PMC9691624 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-022-00420-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Whilst involvement of the motor cortex in the phenomenon of freezing in Parkinson's disease has been previously suggested, few empiric studies have been conducted to date. We investigated motor cortex (M1) excitability in eleven right-handed Parkinson's disease patients (aged 69.7 ± 9.6 years, disease duration 11.2 ± 3.9 years, akinesia-rigidity type) with verified gait freezing using a single-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) repetitive finger tapping paradigm. We delivered single TMS pulses at 120% of the active motor threshold at the 'ascending (contraction)' and 'descending (relaxation)' slope of the tap cycle during i) regular tapping, ii) the transition period of the three taps prior to a freeze and iii) during freezing of upper limb movement. M1 excitability was modulated along the tap cycle with greater motor evoked potentials (MEPs) during 'ascending' than 'descending'. Furthermore, MEPs during the 'ascending' phase of regular tapping, but not during the transition period, were greater compared to the MEPs recorded throughout a freeze. Neither force nor EMG activity 10-110 s before the stimulus predicted MEP size. This piloting study suggests that M1 excitability is reduced during freezing and the transition period preceding a freeze. This supports that M1 excitability is critical to freezing in Parkinson's disease.
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Park SY, Schott N. Which motor-cognitive abilities underlie the digital Trail-Making Test? Decomposing various test scores to detect cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease-Pilot study. APPLIED NEUROPSYCHOLOGY. ADULT 2022:1-15. [PMID: 36412487 DOI: 10.1080/23279095.2022.2147837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Since Parkinson's disease (PD) is a heterogeneous disorder with symptoms, such as tremors, gait and speech disturbances, or memory loss, individualized diagnostics are needed to optimize treatment. In their current form, the typical paper-pencil methods traditionally used to track disease progression are too coarse to capture the subtleties of clinical phenomena. For this reason, digital biomarkers that capture, for example, motor function, cognition, and behavior using apps, wearables, and tracking systems are becoming increasingly established. However, given the high prevalence of cognitive impairment in PD, digital cognitive biomarkers to predict mental progression are important in clinical practice. This pilot study aimed to identify those components of our digital version of the TMT (dTMT) that allow discrimination between PD patients with and without cognitive deficits. A total of 30 healthy control (age 66.3 ± 8.61) and 30 participants with PD (age 68.3 ± 9.66) performed the dTMT using a touch-sensitive tablet to capture enhanced performance metrics, such as the speed between and inside circles. The decomposition of cognitive abilities based on integrating additional variables in the dTMT revealed that the Parkinson's disease group was significantly more sensitive to parameters of inhibitory control. In contrast, the mild cognitive impairment group was sensitive to parameters of cognitive flexibility and working memory. The dTMT allows objective, ecologically valid, and long-term cognitive and fine-motor performance tracking, suggesting its potential as a digital biomarker in neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soo-Yong Park
- Department of Sport Psychology & Human Movement Performance, Institute of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Nadja Schott
- Department of Sport Psychology & Human Movement Performance, Institute of Sport and Exercise Science, University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany
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Zang NAM, Schneider M, Weiss D. Cortical mechanisms of movement recovery after freezing in Parkinson's disease. Neurobiol Dis 2022; 174:105871. [PMID: 36152946 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2022.105871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Involuntary interruptions of upper limb movements, referred to as "upper limb freezing" (ULF) belong to the most disabling symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Our study aimed to explore the cortical neuronal mechanisms underlying the reinstation of regular movement after a freezing episode and to control them by voluntary stops. We hypothesized that this movement recovery after a freeze would be accompanied by a decrease of beta power (13-30 Hz) over the primary sensorimotor cortex (electrode "C3"). We recorded a 62-channel surface EEG in 14 PD patients during a repetitive finger tapping task. After performing time-frequency analysis of the EEG data we segmented it to i) regular finger taps, ii) ULF episodes, and iii) voluntary movement stops (VS). We analysed cortical activity during each movement modality and later focused on the last 500 ms of ULF and VS and the first half of the following regular tap. At the beginning of regular finger taps we found decreased alpha power (6-12 Hz) over C3 (P = 0.01). During ULF, there was no significant activity modulation in the alpha and beta frequency bands, whereas beta power increased over C3 during VS (P = 0.0038). When tapping was reinstated after a freeze, we found that 100 ms before movement onset beta power decreased first present over C3, followed by fronto-central electrodes and then reaching the ipsilateral right fronto-temporal electrodes when reinstating regular tapping (P = 0.0256). Initiating movement after a VS showed a different pattern with a decrease of parieto-occipital beta activity 200 ms prior to the first tap (P = 0.044). Our findings suggest that PD freezers make use of different cortical pathways when re-initiating movement after ULF or VS. This includes either fronto-central or parieto-occipital pathways. These findings may help to customize novel neuromodulation strategies to counteract freezing behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas A M Zang
- Centre for Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Marlieke Schneider
- Centre for Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Daniel Weiss
- Centre for Neurology, Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany; Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
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Kaur M, Saini K. Forensic examination of effects of Parkinsonism on various handwriting characteristics. Sci Justice 2022; 62:10-20. [PMID: 35033322 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2021.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Parkinsonism is a neurodegenerative syndrome that causes impairment of motor skills in affected persons. Thus, adverse effects may be produced in the handwriting of persons suffering from Parkinsonism. Medication used for the treatment of Parkinsonism is known to subside certain motor defects for specific time intervals, showing slight differences or improvement in certain handwriting characteristics during those intervals on the same day as compared to the ones executed before medication. Certain handwriting characteristics affected due to Parkinsonism may be mistaken as forged features due to poor line quality, which can cause suspicion upon the authenticity of important legal documents. The present research work has been carried out to determine the effects of Parkinsonism and medication used for its treatment on handwriting. Handwriting/signature samples executed before and after the onset of Parkinsonism (both pre- and post-medication) have been randomly collected from 70 participants. These handwritings have been evaluated separately and compared inter-se for various handwriting characteristics with qualitative and statistical approach. The results have demonstrated significant changes in most of the characteristics in both affected writings of majority of participants as compared to their corresponding earlier writings. Thus, forensic document experts should be aware of the detrimental effects of Parkinsonism on handwriting in pre- and post-medication conditions of this ailment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manpreet Kaur
- Department of Forensic Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India
| | - Komal Saini
- Department of Forensic Science, Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab, India.
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Vignoud G, Desjardins C, Salardaine Q, Mongin M, Garcin B, Venance L, Degos B. Video-Based Automated Assessment of Movement Parameters Consistent with MDS-UPDRS III in Parkinson's Disease. JOURNAL OF PARKINSON'S DISEASE 2022; 12:2211-2222. [PMID: 35964204 PMCID: PMC9661322 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-223445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Among motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), including rigidity and resting tremor, bradykinesia is a mandatory feature to define the parkinsonian syndrome. MDS-UPDRS III is the worldwide reference scale to evaluate the parkinsonian motor impairment, especially bradykinesia. However, MDS-UPDRS III is an agent-based score making reproducible measurements and follow-up challenging. OBJECTIVE Using a deep learning approach, we developed a tool to compute an objective score of bradykinesia based on the guidelines of the gold-standard MDS-UPDRS III. METHODS We adapted and applied two deep learning algorithms to detect a two-dimensional (2D) skeleton of the hand composed of 21 predefined points, and transposed it into a three-dimensional (3D) skeleton for a large database of videos of parkinsonian patients performing MDS-UPDRS III protocols acquired in the Movement Disorder unit of Avicenne University Hospital. RESULTS We developed a 2D and 3D automated analysis tool to study the evolution of several key parameters during the protocol repetitions of the MDS-UPDRS III. Scores from 2D automated analysis showed a significant correlation with gold-standard ratings of MDS-UPDRS III, measured with coefficients of determination for the tapping (0.609) and hand movements (0.701) protocols using decision tree algorithms. The individual correlations of the different parameters measured with MDS-UPDRS III scores carry meaningful information and are consistent with MDS-UPDRS III guidelines. CONCLUSION We developed a deep learning-based tool to precisely analyze movement parameters allowing to reliably score bradykinesia for parkinsonian patients in a MDS-UPDRS manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaëtan Vignoud
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
- INRIA Paris, MAMBA (Modelling and Analysis in Medical and Biological Applications), Paris, France
| | - Clément Desjardins
- APHP, Hôpital Avicenne, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Paris-Seine Saint Denis (HUPSSD), Department of Neurology, Sorbonne Paris Nord, NS-PARK/FCRIN network, Bobigny, France
| | - Quentin Salardaine
- APHP, Hôpital Avicenne, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Paris-Seine Saint Denis (HUPSSD), Department of Neurology, Sorbonne Paris Nord, NS-PARK/FCRIN network, Bobigny, France
| | - Marie Mongin
- APHP, Hôpital Avicenne, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Paris-Seine Saint Denis (HUPSSD), Department of Neurology, Sorbonne Paris Nord, NS-PARK/FCRIN network, Bobigny, France
| | - Béatrice Garcin
- APHP, Hôpital Avicenne, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Paris-Seine Saint Denis (HUPSSD), Department of Neurology, Sorbonne Paris Nord, NS-PARK/FCRIN network, Bobigny, France
| | - Laurent Venance
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Bertrand Degos
- Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Biology (CIRB), Collège de France, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
- APHP, Hôpital Avicenne, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Paris-Seine Saint Denis (HUPSSD), Department of Neurology, Sorbonne Paris Nord, NS-PARK/FCRIN network, Bobigny, France
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The relationship between muscle activation and handwriting quality with non-native grip styles. J Hand Ther 2021; 35:558-568. [PMID: 34261589 DOI: 10.1016/j.jht.2021.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to explore the differences in muscle activity, handwriting legibility, and consistency when using the 4 primary handwriting grip styles: dynamic quadrupod (DQ), dynamic tripod, lateral quadrupod (LQ) and lateral tripod. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Thirty-four 18-22-year-old participants completed a handwriting legibility test on paper as well as consistency and metrics tests using both surface electromyography and a digital writing tablet. Electromyography was used to measure the activity of 6 muscles associated with handwriting, and the tablet measured stroke duration, length, velocity, and pen pressure. Subjects used each grip style with all protocols and scores were normalized to their native grip. Significance was set at P < .05. RESULTS Females had a lower range in legibility scores than males by 3.5% ± 1.7% (p = .046, d = 0.713), but grip style did not impact legibility. The upper trapezius (UT) was more active in the lateral tripod and LQ grips compared to DQ by 16.8% ± 5.2% and by 13.8% ± 5.2%, (p = .007, p = .012, respectively, partial η2 = 0.188). The stroke duration was greater in the LQ grip style than dynamic tripod and DQ grip styles (p = .008, p = .023, respectively; partial η2 = 0.123). CONCLUSIONS Lateral grip styles involve more whole-arm, stabilizing movements while dynamic grip styles require fine dexterous movements. Furthermore, females are likely to be able to employ any grip with minimal effect on legibility. For a patient needing guidance in rehabilitation, understanding the differences in grips could aid selection of the optimum grip style to employ based on their muscular control deficits.
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Marquez JS, Hasan SMS, Siddiquee MR, Luca CC, Mishra VR, Mari Z, Bai O. Neural Correlates of Freezing of Gait in Parkinson's Disease: An Electrophysiology Mini-Review. Front Neurol 2020; 11:571086. [PMID: 33240199 PMCID: PMC7683766 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2020.571086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Freezing of gait (FoG) is a disabling symptom characterized as a brief inability to step or by short steps, which occurs when initiating gait or while turning, affecting over half the population with advanced Parkinson's disease (PD). Several non-competing hypotheses have been proposed to explain the pathophysiology and mechanism behind FoG. Yet, due to the complexity of FoG and the lack of a complete understanding of its mechanism, no clear consensus has been reached on the best treatment options. Moreover, most studies that aim to explore neural biomarkers of FoG have been limited to semi-static or imagined paradigms. One of the biggest unmet needs in the field is the identification of reliable biomarkers that can be construed from real walking scenarios to guide better treatments and validate medical and therapeutic interventions. Advances in neural electrophysiology exploration, including EEG and DBS, will allow for pathophysiology research on more real-to-life scenarios for better FoG biomarker identification and validation. The major aim of this review is to highlight the most up-to-date studies that explain the mechanisms underlying FoG through electrophysiology explorations. The latest methodological approaches used in the neurophysiological study of FoG are summarized, and potential future research directions are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. Sebastian Marquez
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - S. M. Shafiul Hasan
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Masudur R. Siddiquee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Corneliu C. Luca
- Department of Neurology, University of Miami Hospital, Miami, FL, United States
| | - Virendra R. Mishra
- Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Zoltan Mari
- Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Cleveland Clinic, Las Vegas, NV, United States
| | - Ou Bai
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Florida International University, Miami, FL, United States
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Artusi CA, Imbalzano G, Sturchio A, Pilotto A, Montanaro E, Padovani A, Lopiano L, Maetzler W, Espay AJ. Implementation of Mobile Health Technologies in Clinical Trials of Movement Disorders: Underutilized Potential. Neurotherapeutics 2020; 17:1736-1746. [PMID: 32734442 PMCID: PMC7851293 DOI: 10.1007/s13311-020-00901-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Mobile health technologies (mHealth) are patient-worn or portable devices aimed at increasing the granularity and relevance of clinical measurements. The implementation of mHealth has the potential to decrease sample size, duration, and cost of clinical trials. We performed a review of the ClinicalTrials.gov database using a standardized approach to identify adoption in and usefulness of mHealth in movement disorders interventional clinical trials. Trial phase, geographical area, availability of data captured, constructs of interest, and outcome priority were collected. Eligible trials underwent quality appraisal using an ad hoc 5-point checklist to assess mHealth feasibility, acceptability, correlation with patient-centered outcome measures, and clinical meaningfulness. A total of 29% (n = 54/184) registered trials were using mHealth, mainly in Parkinson's disease and essential tremor (59.3% and 27.8%). In most cases, mHealth were used in phase 2 trials (83.3%) as secondary outcome measures (59.3%). Only five phase 3 trials, representing 9.3% of the total, used mHealth (1 as primary outcome measure, 3 as secondary, and 1 as tertiary). Only 3.7% (n = 2/54) of all trials used mHealth for measuring both motor and non-motor symptoms, and 23.1% (n = 12/52) used mHealth for unsupervised, ecologic outcomes. Our findings suggest that mHealth remain underutilized and largely relegated to phase 2 trials for secondary or tertiary outcome measures. Efforts toward greater alignment of mHealth with patient-centered outcomes and development of a universal, common-language platform to synchronize data from one or more devices will assist future efforts toward the integration of mHealth into clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Alberto Artusi
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Gabriele Imbalzano
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Andrea Sturchio
- Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, 260 Stetson St., Suite 2300, Cincinnati, OH, 45267-0525, USA
| | - Andrea Pilotto
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
- FERB Onlus, Ospedale S. Isidoro, Trescore Balneario, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Elisa Montanaro
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Alessandro Padovani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
| | - Leonardo Lopiano
- Department of Neuroscience "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Walter Maetzler
- Department of Neurology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Alberto J Espay
- Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center, 260 Stetson St., Suite 2300, Cincinnati, OH, 45267-0525, USA.
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Paul SS, Dibble LE, Olivier GN, Walter C, Duff K, Schaefer SY. Dopamine replacement improves motor learning of an upper extremity task in people with Parkinson disease. Behav Brain Res 2020; 377:112213. [PMID: 31526767 PMCID: PMC7398159 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2019] [Revised: 08/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Dopamine replacement medication has positive effects on existing motor skills for people with Parkinson disease (PD), but may have detrimental effects on the learning of motor skills necessary for effective rehabilitation according to the dopamine overdose hypothesis. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine whether dopamine replacement medication (i.e. levodopa) affects: learning of a novel upper extremity task, decrements in skill following withdrawal of practice, the rate of learning, and the transfer of movement skill to untrained upper extremity tasks compared to training "off" medication, in people with PD. METHODS Participants with mild-moderate PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage 2) were randomized to train "on" (n = 12) or "off" (n = 11) levodopa medication. Participants practiced 10 blocks of five trials of a functional motor task with their non-dominant upper extremity over three consecutive days (acquisition period), followed by a single block of five trials two and nine days later. Participants were also assessed "on" levodopa with two transfer tasks (the nine-hole peg test and a functional dexterity task) prior to any practice and nine days after the end of the acquisition period. RESULTS Participants who practiced "on" levodopa medication learned the upper extremity task to a greater extent that those who practiced "off" medication, as determined by retained performance two days after practice. Skill decrement and skill transfer were not significantly different between groups. Rate of learning was unable to be modelled in this sample. CONCLUSIONS Levodopa medication improved the learning of an upper extremity task in people with mild-moderate PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serene S Paul
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, 520 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA; Discipline of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney, 75 East St, Lidcombe, NSW, 2141, Australia.
| | - Leland E Dibble
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, 520 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA
| | - Genevieve N Olivier
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, 520 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA
| | - Christopher Walter
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, 520 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA; Department of Physical Therapy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 1125 N College Ave, Fayetteville, AR, 72703, USA
| | - Kevin Duff
- Center for Alzheimer's Care, Imaging & Research, Department of Neurology, University of Utah, 650 Komas Dr 106A, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA
| | - Sydney Y Schaefer
- Department of Physical Therapy and Athletic Training, University of Utah, 520 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT, 84108, USA; Department of Biological and Health Systems Engineering, Arizona State University, 501 E Tyler Mall, MC 9709, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
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Relationship between Freezing of Gait and Anxiety in Parkinson's Disease Patients: A Systemic Literature Review. PARKINSONS DISEASE 2019; 2019:6836082. [PMID: 31428304 PMCID: PMC6681590 DOI: 10.1155/2019/6836082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 01/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/09/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Freezing of gait (FOG) is experienced by a significant number of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The pathophysiology of this disabling motor symptom remains unclear, and there are no effective therapies. Anxiety has previously been posited as a contributing factor to gait freezing. There have been few studies directly investigating this topic, and a comprehensive literature review is lacking. The objective of this paper was to systematically review the evidence associating anxiety with the presence, severity, and progression of FOG in PD patients. The PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO databases were searched up to September 19, 2018, for English-language, peer-reviewed articles that explored anxiety and FOG as outcome measures in a PD population base. Review articles, case reports, and articles that assessed gait disorders other than FOG were excluded, yielding a total of 26 articles in the final analysis. Of these 26 studies, 16 had a significant relationship between anxiety outcome measure and either presence or severity of FOG. There was great variability among studies in terms of outcome measures for both FOG and anxiety. Despite this heterogeneity, most studies relate anxiety and FOG. Standardized, high-validity outcome measures of anxiety and FOG are needed. Future exploration should aim to clarify the role of anxiety in FOG as a causal factor, pathophysiological marker, and manifestation of a common pathophysiological process versus a consequence of FOG itself. Clarifying the relationship between anxiety and FOG could reveal anxiety reduction as a therapy for FOG.
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Broeder S, Heremans E, Pinto Pereira M, Nackaerts E, Meesen R, Verheyden G, Nieuwboer A. Does transcranial direct current stimulation during writing alleviate upper limb freezing in people with Parkinson’s disease? A pilot study. Hum Mov Sci 2019; 65:S0167-9457(17)30936-3. [DOI: 10.1016/j.humov.2018.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2017] [Revised: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Heremans E, Broeder S, Nieuwboer A, Bekkers EM, Ginis P, Janssens L, Nackaerts E. When motor control gets out of hand: Speeding up triggers freezing in the upper limb in Parkinson's disease. Parkinsonism Relat Disord 2019; 64:163-168. [PMID: 30987896 DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) can suffer from sudden movement arrests during upper limb tasks. The current study investigated a test to assess freezing of the upper limbs (FOUL) at two speed conditions to improve the sensitivity of FOUL detection. METHODS Forty-nine patients with PD and 10 age-matched controls (HC) performed a freezing-provoking writing task, requiring up- and down-stroke writing at varying sizes in-between visual target zones indicating funnel-shapes on a touch-sensitive tablet. They performed five trials at their preferred speed, referred to as the Normal Funnel Task (NFT) and five trials at maximum speed, referred to as the Fast Funnel Task (FFT), in a random order. RESULTS Based on a combination of kinematic criteria and video analysis, 183 FOUL episodes were detected in 24 participants (23 PD, 1 HC). The number of patients with FOUL, number of FOUL episodes and percentage time frozen were significantly higher during FFT than NFT. Most FOUL episodes occurred during writing at small (51.6%) and decreasing size (36.3%). Additionally, FOUL outcomes significantly correlated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire. CONCLUSION As FOUL is more prevalent under higher task demands, these data offer support for the "threshold model", previously proposed to provide insight in freezing of gait (FOG) and underscoring the presupposed link between FOG and FOUL. As well, this study may provide a novel paradigm to assess FOUL in both laboratory and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Heremans
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sanne Broeder
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Alice Nieuwboer
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Esther Mj Bekkers
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Ginis
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Luc Janssens
- Electrical Engineering (ESAT), Group T Leuven Campus, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Evelien Nackaerts
- Neuromotor Rehabilitation Research Group, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Belgium.
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Identification and Monitoring of Parkinson’s Disease Dysgraphia Based on Fractional-Order Derivatives of Online Handwriting. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2018. [DOI: 10.3390/app8122566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease dysgraphia affects the majority of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients and is the result of handwriting abnormalities mainly caused by motor dysfunctions. Several effective approaches to quantitative PD dysgraphia analysis, such as online handwriting processing, have been utilized. In this study, we aim to deeply explore the impact of advanced online handwriting parameterization based on fractional-order derivatives (FD) on the PD dysgraphia diagnosis and its monitoring. For this purpose, we used 33 PD patients and 36 healthy controls from the PaHaW (PD handwriting database). Partial correlation analysis (Spearman’s and Pearson’s) was performed to investigate the relationship between the newly designed features and patients’ clinical data. Next, the discrimination power of the FD features was evaluated by a binary classification analysis. Finally, regression models were trained to explore the new features’ ability to assess the progress and severity of PD. These results were compared to a baseline, which is based on conventional online handwriting features. In comparison with the conventional parameters, the FD handwriting features correlated more significantly with the patients’ clinical characteristics and provided a more accurate assessment of PD severity (error around 12%). On the other hand, the highest classification accuracy (ACC = 97.14%) was obtained by the conventional parameters. The results of this study suggest that utilization of FD in combination with properly selected tasks (continuous and/or repetitive, such as the Archimedean spiral) could improve computerized PD severity assessment.
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Merola A, Sturchio A, Hacker S, Serna S, Vizcarra JA, Marsili L, Fasano A, Espay AJ. Technology-based assessment of motor and nonmotor phenomena in Parkinson disease. Expert Rev Neurother 2018; 18:825-845. [PMID: 30269610 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2018.1530593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The increasing development and availability of portable and wearable technologies is rapidly expanding the field of technology-based objective measures (TOMs) in neurological disorders, including Parkinson disease (PD). Substantial challenges remain in the recognition of disease phenomena relevant to patients and clinicians, as well as in the identification of the most appropriate devices to carry out these measurements. Areas covered: The authors systematically reviewed PubMed for studies employing technology as outcome measures in the assessment of PD-associated motor and nonmotor abnormalities. Expert commentary: TOMs minimize intra- and inter-rater variability in clinical assessments of motor and nonmotor phenomena in PD, improving the accuracy of clinical endpoints. Critical unmet needs for the integration of TOMs into clinical and research practice are the identification and validation of relevant endpoints for individual patients, the capture of motor and nonmotor activities from an ecologically valid environment, the integration of various sensor data into an open-access, common-language platforms, and the definition of a regulatory pathway for approval of TOMs. The current lack of multidomain, multisensor, smart technologies to measure in real time a wide scope of relevant changes remain a significant limitation for the integration of technology into the assessment of PD motor and nonmotor functional disability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aristide Merola
- a James J and Joan A Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology , University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Andrea Sturchio
- a James J and Joan A Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology , University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Stephanie Hacker
- a James J and Joan A Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology , University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Santiago Serna
- a James J and Joan A Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology , University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Joaquin A Vizcarra
- a James J and Joan A Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology , University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Luca Marsili
- a James J and Joan A Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology , University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati , OH , USA
| | - Alfonso Fasano
- b Edmond J. Safra Program in Parkinson's disease and the Morton and Gloria Shulman Movement Disorders Clinic , Toronto Western Hospital, University of Toronto; Krembil Brain Institute , Toronto , ON , Canada
| | - Alberto J Espay
- a James J and Joan A Gardner Family Center for Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders, Department of Neurology , University of Cincinnati , Cincinnati , OH , USA
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Altered effective connectivity contributes to micrographia in patients with Parkinson’s disease and freezing of gait. J Neurol 2017; 265:336-347. [DOI: 10.1007/s00415-017-8709-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Technology-Assisted Rehabilitation of Writing Skills in Parkinson's Disease: Visual Cueing versus Intelligent Feedback. PARKINSONS DISEASE 2017; 2017:9198037. [PMID: 29119036 PMCID: PMC5651125 DOI: 10.1155/2017/9198037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 08/18/2017] [Accepted: 09/05/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recent research showed that visual cueing can have both beneficial and detrimental effects on handwriting of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy controls depending on the circumstances. Hence, using other sensory modalities to deliver cueing or feedback may be a valuable alternative. Therefore, the current study compared the effects of short-term training with either continuous visual cues or intermittent intelligent verbal feedback. Ten PD patients and nine healthy controls were randomly assigned to one of these training modes. To assess transfer of learning, writing performance was assessed in the absence of cueing and feedback on both trained and untrained writing sequences. The feedback pen and a touch-sensitive writing tablet were used for testing. Both training types resulted in improved writing amplitudes for the trained and untrained sequences. In conclusion, these results suggest that the feedback pen is a valuable tool to implement writing training in a tailor-made fashion for people with PD. Future studies should include larger sample sizes and different subgroups of PD for long-term training with the feedback pen.
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Nackaerts E, Heremans E, Smits-Engelsman BCM, Broeder S, Vandenberghe W, Bergmans B, Nieuwboer A. Validity and reliability of a new tool to evaluate handwriting difficulties in Parkinson's disease. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0173157. [PMID: 28253374 PMCID: PMC5333892 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0173157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Handwriting in Parkinson's disease (PD) features specific abnormalities which are difficult to assess in clinical practice since no specific tool for evaluation of spontaneous movement is currently available. OBJECTIVE This study aims to validate the 'Systematic Screening of Handwriting Difficulties' (SOS-test) in patients with PD. METHODS Handwriting performance of 87 patients and 26 healthy age-matched controls was examined using the SOS-test. Sixty-seven patients were tested a second time within a period of one month. Participants were asked to copy as much as possible of a text within 5 minutes with the instruction to write as neatly and quickly as in daily life. Writing speed (letters in 5 minutes), size (mm) and quality of handwriting were compared. Correlation analysis was performed between SOS outcomes and other fine motor skill measurements and disease characteristics. Intrarater, interrater and test-retest reliability were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Spearman correlation coefficient. RESULTS Patients with PD had a smaller (p = 0.043) and slower (p<0.001) handwriting and showed worse writing quality (p = 0.031) compared to controls. The outcomes of the SOS-test significantly correlated with fine motor skill performance and disease duration and severity. Furthermore, the test showed excellent intrarater, interrater and test-retest reliability (ICC > 0.769 for both groups). CONCLUSION The SOS-test is a short and effective tool to detect handwriting problems in PD with excellent reliability. It can therefore be recommended as a clinical instrument for standardized screening of handwriting deficits in PD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elke Heremans
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Sanne Broeder
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wim Vandenberghe
- Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Neurology, University Hospitals Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bruno Bergmans
- Department of Neurology, A.Z. Sint-Jan Brugge-Oostende, Bruges, Belgium
| | - Alice Nieuwboer
- Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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