New AI-Based Test Allows for Remote Assessment of Parkinson’s Disease Severity
Researchers from the University of Rochester have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that can help people with Parkinson’s disease remotely assess the severity of their symptoms within minutes. The tool involves users tapping their fingers 10 times in front of a webcam to assess motor performance on a scale of 0-4. While expert neurologists performed slightly better than the AI model, the AI model outperformed primary care physicians with UPDRS certification.
The AI model utilizes the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) guidelines to provide a rapid assessment of motor performance. It automatically generates computational metrics such as speed, amplitude, frequency, and period, which are consistent with medical guidebooks. These attributes are used to classify the severity of tremors.
The study involved 250 global participants with Parkinson’s disease, and the AI system’s ratings were compared with those by expert neurologists and primary care physicians. While the AI model performed slightly worse than the neurologists, it outperformed the primary care physicians. This new AI-based test could have significant implications for patients who have difficulty accessing neurologists and traveling to the hospital.
The research team believes that their method can be applied to other motor tasks and movement disorders such as ataxia and Huntington’s disease. However, they note that the test is still an emerging technology and should not be considered a definitive measure of the disease’s presence or severity without a physician’s input.
This innovative AI tool represents a significant advancement in healthcare, particularly for patients who face barriers to accessing medical care. By allowing for remote assessment of Parkinson’s disease severity, the tool improves health equity and access to quality care. The researchers hope to continue refining and expanding their approach to aid in the evaluation of other movement disorders in the future.
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