Abstract
BackgroundHandwriting is a neuromuscular task. Old age and illness may produce significant deteriorating effects on the quality of handwriting/signatures of an individual. In some cases, the affected writings may be suspected of being forged due to poor line quality of handwriting. Important documents such as wills, receipts, agreements, contracts, notes, and drafts involve handwritten contents that are often questioned to prove their identity and genuineness. The document examiners may face difficulty to get an adequate number of contemporary standard samples while handling questioned handwriting samples of old age persons and Parkinsonism patients. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative and statistical study to analyze the changes in various handwriting features due to old age and Parkinsonism.MethodologyHandwriting samples from 50 healthy old age persons and 25 individuals suffering from Parkinsonism were collected with their consent. Handwriting features such as line quality defects (tremors, retouchings, and pen lifts), letter formations, abbreviation/simplification of letters or their parts, nature of initial and terminal strokes, nature of connecting strokes, writing speed, overall size, and alignment were analyzed qualitatively and statistically through paired t test using SPSS software.ResultsAccording to results, marked variations were evident in most of the handwriting features in case of old age persons and in case of individuals suffering from Parkinsonism. Two features, namely retouchings and alignment, were least affected in the handwritings of patients suffering from Parkinsonism.ConclusionAccording to the results of this study, old age and illness affect the handwriting of an individual in a considerable manner. Marked deterioration in the quality of handwriting/signatures can be observed in case of old age persons and in individuals suffering from Parkinsonism, which makes their writing appear different altogether as compared to their corresponding normal writing. The document examiner must be aware of this fact while examining such cases.
Highlights
Marked deterioration in the quality of handwriting/signatures can be observed in case of old age persons and in individuals suffering from Parkinsonism, which makes their writing appear different altogether as compared to their corresponding normal writing
Qualitative analysis Following observations were made during the analysis of handwriting samples of old age and Parkinsonism: Line quality defects
This study demonstrates the fact that in cases of disputed handwriting/signatures involving old age persons and individuals suffering from Parkinsonism, there is a marked deterioration in the quality of writings, due to which the affected writings appear different altogether as compared to the corresponding normal writings
Summary
The affected writings may be suspected of being forged due to poor line quality of handwriting. Important documents such as wills, receipts, agreements, contracts, notes, and drafts involve handwritten contents that are often questioned to prove their identity and genuineness. Old age and neurological illness (such as Parkinsonism) affect the neurological and muscular system of the body These factors produce significant effects on the handwriting of an individual (Huber and Headrick 1999), which can range from minor variations to a marked decline in the writing skill, muscular coordination, speed, deterioration of Previous studies have demonstrated that old age and illness affect the handwriting of an individual drastically Many researchers have conducted kinematic studies on the effects of old age and Parkinsonism on handwriting of individuals (Drempt et al 2011; Caligiuri et al 2014; Gemmert et al 1999, 2001; Gemmert et al 2003; Inzelberg et al 2016; Kim et al 2004; Nackaerts et al 2017; Rosenblum and Werner 2006; Rosenblum et al 2013).
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