Canberra, Nov. 11 (SANA) Subtle changes in arm swing during walking may be detectable nearly seven years before a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease, according to a study by researchers at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
Parkinson’s can disrupt the natural coordination between arm and leg movements, potentially before more recognizable symptoms appear, ScienceAlert reported Wednesday.
Study analyzes more than 73,000 participants
The study, jointly led by Paulo Pelicioni and Sophie Waller, analyzed wrist-worn sensor recordings from 73,413 UK Biobank participants, whose medical records were followed for up to 10 years. During that period, 314 were diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
Researchers used software called Watch Walk to assess step counts, walking speed, rhythm and arm movement, distinguishing natural arm swing from other hand movements.
The findings, published in the Journal of Neural Transmission, showed that participants diagnosed within 40 months of wearing the sensors averaged about 4,000 steps daily, compared with 6,400 among those without a recorded diagnosis.
Those later diagnosed also showed lower maximum walking speeds, altered step rhythms and reduced natural arm swing.
Differences in walking patterns were detectable nearly seven years before diagnosis, suggesting arm movement could provide early information beyond step counts alone.
Findings require further validation
Researchers said the findings could eventually help identify candidates for clinical trials of treatments aimed at slowing disease progression.
However, the results reflect group-level differences and cannot predict individual diagnoses. Pain, medications and other health conditions can also affect walking.
Because movement was recorded during a single monitoring period, researchers could not determine when the changes began, highlighting the need for longer-term studies.
Three authors disclosed an agreement with SpaceTalk Inc. to commercialize the Watch Walk algorithm and may receive royalties. Research groups can use the software free of charge.
Parkinson’s disease results from damage to dopamine-producing nerve cells in the brain, causing slower movement, muscle stiffness and impaired coordination.
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