Abstract
Analysis of gait dynamics is a noninvasive and totally painless test, and it can be an ideal method for the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, based on the strength of synchronization between dynamics of strides, we have suggested a rating scale method for Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods. The sample included 15 persons with PD (age: 66.8 ± 10.9 years) and 16 healthy persons (age: 39.3 ± 18.5 years) which were recruited from the Neurology Outpatient Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital and were instructed to walk a 77 m long, straight hallway. The time interval of strides and subphases of strides were measured. Using the Hilbert transformation method, we obtained the data phase and used mean absolute error (MAE) to calculate the synchronization strength of the data phase. Results. In order to check the accuracy of our method, we measured the correlation between our numerical results (MAE) and values of the Hoehn-Yahr scale. Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (r) and the P values were calculated. MAE of left and right stride intervals (LRSI) significantly correlates with the Hoehn-Yahr scale for the subjects with PD (with r = 0.60 and P = 0.025 < 0.05). Conclusion. We have revealed that the synchronization weakness of LRSI shows the severity of PD. This method seems to be well suited as a rating scale for people with PD.
Highlights
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, mainly affecting the motor system
We show that compared with the normal subjects, gait rhythms of subjects with PD have weaker phase synchronization, and the synchronization strength of gait rhythms of patients with PD is different in illness severity
We claim that using synchronization theory in gait dynamics is an effective and efficient method to obtain the severity of PD
Summary
PD is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system, mainly affecting the motor system. Research studies of PD require a means of rating the severity of the disease by measurement of motor manifestations, assessment of the ability to perform daily functional activities, and symptomatic response to medication. The most common rating scales are the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Hoehn and Yahr (HY) staging, and the Schwab and England rating of activities of daily living. The UPDRS has gained the greatest acceptance as a tool for the evaluation of interventions and as a clinical tool to follow up patients. The HY staging is probably the most widely known evaluation of people with PD By this scale, a higher score indicates
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