Movement analysis of patients with Parkinson's disease using picture analysis

We analyze movement in Parkinson's disease patients (PD) and healthy subjects using a natural manual transport task (moving an object from one place to another). Eight PD patients and ten healthy control subjects performed the transport task repeatedly at maximum speed, the patients in two conditions - without and with medication (OFF and ON). Movement parameters and grip and load forces were recorded. Using the force and velocity signals, ten subsequent phases of the transport movement were defined and their durations were measured. The differences between the control group and the Parkinson group in OFF and ON were established statistically. There was slowed reaching and a striking disturbance of establishing the precision grip in PD. The transport capabilities were impaired differentially - while acceleration and reaching sufficient height of the lift were disturbed in the PD subjects, transport of the object toward the target position was almost normal. A partial disturbance was observed when cancelling the grip. Dopaminergic medication improved only specific hand skills - especially establishment of the precision grip and one of the four transport phases.