Characterization of multi-joint upper limb movements in a single task to assess bradykinesia

摘要: Abstract Bradykinesia is a disabling symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) which presents with slowness movement. Visual assessment using clinical rating scales currently the gold standard to assess bradykinesia. Such assessments require multiple separate movements, are subjective, and rely on ability rater determine frequency amplitude features excursion joints simultaneously. The current study introduces use wearable inertial measurement units (IMUs) characterize full-arm repetitive movements provide new index score for bradykinesia severity (BKI) in upper limbs. BKI provides an approach measuring reliably objectively. Importantly, this needed demonstrate separability between healthy individuals PD participants, also bradykinetic non-bradykinetic participants. Thirteen participants ten age-matched control were studied. Using single limb task that activated recordings from angular displacements all joints, relevant demonstrating extracted systematically combined create total BKI. A strong correlation coefficient was obtained comparing UPDRS scores (rs = − 0.626, p = 0.001). successfully identified differences (p = 0.018). sensitive enough identify within population, separating without (p  This demonstrates feasibility IMU-based motion capture systems employing quantitative when generalized lower extremity truncal would be able objective reproducible whole body index.