John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
John Taylor, Professor of Economics at Stanford University and developer of the "Taylor Rule" for setting interest rates | Stanford University
The number of people living with Parkinson’s disease globally has doubled in the past 25 years. However, the treatment and monitoring of this neurological disease have not kept pace. Clinicians often use subjective rating scales to gauge the severity of the disease, and a shortage of trained doctors means patients can go months or even years between clinic visits.
This situation leaves patients unsure about their disease progression and medication response. To address these issues, Stanford Medicine researchers have developed a portable device paired with a smartphone-connected platform for home use. This technology measures Parkinson’s symptoms quantitatively and reproducibly, translating finger press details into data that clinicians can use remotely.
Helen Bronte-Stewart, MD MSE, led the research described in two recent papers. The work received funding from several awards: a Neuroscience: Translate grant from the Wu Tsai Neuroscience Institute, placement in the Fogarty Innovation program, and a Stanford Medicine Catalyst award.
Dr. Bronte-Stewart explained current challenges: "Until now, we’ve relied on in-person exams to monitor Parkinson’s." She noted that only 40% of patients ever see a neurologist and that clinical trials are hampered without objective measurements.
The idea for this tactile measuring device came from Dr. Bronte-Stewart's clinic for performing artists with dystonia. A pianist with Parkinson’s tried a computerized keyboard they had developed, revealing differences based on medication status through keyboard data.
Dr. Bronte-Stewart said, "We realized that with just two levers we could measure the rigidity of a person’s joints," something previously impossible without an in-person evaluation.
Patients can use this lightweight device anywhere by pairing it with a mobile app on their smartphone or tablet. The results are transmitted to healthcare providers in real time.
Recent research showed promising results. One paper described how eight patients used the system at home for 30 days, testing symptoms twice daily to gain insights into symptom changes due to medications. Another paper demonstrated that the device could detect involuntary tremors associated with Parkinson’s disease with 98% sensitivity using statistical modeling.
Dr. Bronte-Stewart highlighted potential benefits: "The results are objective and validated... Patients suddenly have more frequent interactions with their provider by using this tool remotely."
She also emphasized its potential impact on research: "You’ll be able to get data for an early-stage therapeutic in much less time."
Originally published by Stanford Medicine Scope.
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