24-h Assessment of Tremor Activity and Posture in Parkinson's Disease by Multi-Channel Accelerometry

Abstract

This study describes a new method, based on accelerometry, which quantifies tremor activity and posture continuously. A total of 25 right-handed patients with Parkinson's disease were recorded in a rest condition and in a postural tremor test, and during 24-h ambulatory monitoring. The tremor parameters, such as amplitude, frequency, and occurrence (percent of time), were derived by joint amplitude-frequency analysis. The DC components of multi-channel accelerometry allowed the detection of posture. A repeated measurement MANOVA was used to test the effects of posture and night-day differences in tremor activity. Further issues included consistencies of amplitude measurements across hands, between tasks, and between segments of recordings. Findings indicated an increase between resting tremor and postural tremor in the three tremor parameters, an increase under distraction, and enhanced activity in sitting compared to standing/walking. The best predictions of daytime monitoring measures, based on resting measures, were made for left hand tremor. This methodology is suitable for the detection of diurnal changes in tremor activity, especially amplitude changes, and for the psychophysiological investigation of enhanced tremor caused by task demands and emotional reactions.

A review of assistive technologies for people with Parkinson's disease

“…One such portable device is a clip on device which measure gait [17][18][19]. Usage of such a device can be followed by an investigation of 24hr monitoring which can record information such as tremor [21,26].…”

“…The portable, wireless element of the mobile phone is being used in many cases as a framework for ATs [17][18][19]. Within the area of ATs for PD, mobile or portable solutions are often used for monitoring purposes [17][18][19]21,26].…”

“…Various 24hr monitoring devices for PD have been proposed which are portable/mobile [21,25,26]. This means that the user can benefit from the device whist going about their normal everyday activities.…”

“…The main finding from the study was that a 24hr period of monitoring is a sufficient amount of time in order to effectively collect data on walking patterns. A similar study conducted in [21] proposed a 24hr monitoring device for people with PD, however, it focused on assessing tremor. Accelerometers are used to collect information on the user such as the amplitude of the tremor, the frequency and the occurrence.…”

Analyzing 180° turns using an inertial system reveals early signs of progression of parkinson's disease

“…Researchers have used gyroscopes and accelerometers to assess different movement disorders associated with PD including tremor [5], [6], bradykinesia [6], [7], gait [8], [9] and dyskinesia [10]. As a part of Timed Up and Go test, recent studies have also used inertial sensors to quantify turning [11], [12].…”