Method and system for quantifying movement disorder symptoms

Abstract

A system and method for scoring movement disorder symptoms comprises a movement measurement data acquisition system and processing comprising kinematic feature extraction and an algorithm trained using Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) scores from skilled clinicians. The movement data acquisition system, or 'movement measuring apparatus,' may comprise sensors such as accelerometers or gyroscopes or may utilize motion capture and/or machine vision technology or various other methods to measure tremor, bradykinesia, dyskinesia, or other movement disorders in a subject afflicted with Parkinson's disease, essential tremor or the like. The method outputs, and system displays, a score that uses the same scale as the UPDRS but has greater resolution and lower variability. In some embodiments, the system is used to diagnose and/or treat the patient by providing recommendations for treatment and/or by supplying treatment in the form of pharmaceutical drugs and/or electric stimulus as part of a closed-loop system.