Quantitative Motor Assessment In Parkinson's Disease (PD) with the MovAlyzeR® Digital Writing Tablet (P3.072)

Abstract

Objectives: 1) Determine what quantitative motor function test variables best distinguish between subjects with and without Parkinsonism. 2) Correlate findings from quantitative motor testing with standard measures of motor function (Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale-UPDRS-III). Background: Ordinal rating scales that measure motor function in Parkinsonism can be subjective and may be unable to detect subtle abnormalities. Automated quantitative assessments are of interest due to their objectivity and sensitivity. Design/Methods: 50 subjects (26 patients with Parkinsonism and 24 patients with other neurological disorders) were assessed with the UPDRS and MovAlyzeR®, a digital writing tablet able to measure velocity, acceleration and amplitude of upper extremity movements. Subjects were tested under single and dual task conditions with cognitive distraction. Group means were compared using Mann-Whitney U-tests. Relationships between UPDRS-III and quantitative motor function test scores were assessed using partial correlations adjusted for age. Results: Stroke velocity was slower in Parkinsonian subjects under both single and dual task conditions (p=.046 for single task; p=.072 for dual task), controlling for subject age. Similarly, velocity and acceleration during sentence writing were slower in Parkinsonian subjects (p=.014; p=.051, respectively). Total UPDRS motor scores negatively correlated with stroke velocity (single task r=-.278, p=.062; dual task r=-.379, p=.009). Among UPDRS domains, the strongest correlation was with bradykinesia items (single task r=-.297, p=.045; dual task r=-.377, p=.010). There was also a trend towards correlation between Montreal Cognitive Assessment performance and difference between single and dual task velocity for the non-dominant hand (r=.328, p=.089). Conclusions: MovAlyzeR® quantitative testing distinguished between subjects with Parkinsonism and controls, and stroke velocity and acceleration correlated well with UPDRS motor scores, particularly with measures of bradykinesia rather than tremor. Future studies will examine whether quantitative testing can assess Parkinsonism and changes associated with progression or treatment more sensitively than UPDRS.

Disclosure: Dr. Pantelyat has nothing to disclose. Dr. Freedman has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pawlowski has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kesari has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wilkinson has nothing to disclose. Dr. Duda has received personal compensation for activities with Teva Neuroscience. Dr. Duda holds stock and/or stock options in Celgene Corporation. Dr. Morley has nothing to disclose.