Personal digital health in Parkinson's disease: Case histories and commentary

Abstract

The use of self-tracking of bio-behavioral states along with prescription dosing information is increasingly popular in the care and study of many human diseases. Parkinson’s Disease is particularly amenable to such tracking, as patients live with the progressive disease for many years, increasing motivation to pursue quality of life changes through careful monitoring of symptoms and self-guided management of their medications and lifestyle choices. Through the use of digital self-tracking technologies, patients independently or in conjunction with professional medical advice are modulating their medications and behavioral regimens based on self-tracking data. Self-trackers engage in self-experimentation with their health, and more broadly, in personal digital health. This paper briefly depicts notable, recent patient accounts of self-tracking and the uses of digital health in Parkinson’s disease: those of Sara Riggare and Kevin Krejci. It also highlights important facets of a previously unreported case: Velva Walden’s care as managed jointly by her caregiver son. Key aspects of self-tracking inherent to these cases are examined and potential opportunities to advance personalized medicine through the use of digital health and self-experimentation are outlined.

Wearable Accelerometer and Gyroscope Sensors for Estimating the Severity of Essential Tremor

“…Elble et al [28] investigated the use of accelerometers and gyroscopes for measuring head tremors and found gyroscopes to be more effective. Multi-modal sensing combinations accelerometers with electrocardiograms [29] ; accelerometers with microphones [30] ; and accelerometers with gyroscopes [31] , [32] , [33] , have shown promise for activity monitoring in various healthcare applications [34] , [35] . Gyroscopes in combination with accelerometers have the advantage that both linear and angular motion is recorded [36] , [37] , reducing calibration biases.…”