Khaberni - Annals of Neurology reported that a study conducted by an international group of scientists revealed an indicator that might suggest the onset of Parkinson's disease about nine years before symptoms appear in the patient.
The journal noted that during the study, scientists analyzed data from 1051 individuals over the age of 50, collected over 10 years. They discovered that a subtle change in walking pattern, related to how a person turns while walking, could be an indicator of Parkinson's disease about nine years before the first symptoms appear.
During the experiment, each participant wore a small sensor on their lower back, and researchers recorded turning parameters: speed, angle, and time required to change direction.
Researchers found that a decrease in maximum turning speed was reliably associated with the future development of the disease, as these indicators began to deteriorate on average 8.8 years before the diagnosis of the first symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
Furthermore, the machine learning system developed by scientists to verify study results, taking into account age, gender, and turning speed, predicted the onset of Parkinson's disease with high accuracy.
The researchers suggest that such simple measurements obtained through wearable sensor devices could provide doctors with a rare opportunity to intervene very early in the disease stage. If rotation data is combined with other early indicators of the disease, it could be possible to identify at-risk individuals long before the disease begins to impair motor skills, potentially accelerating testing and development of neuroprotective preventative methods that could slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.
