Could a new sensory pen assist in the early diagnosis of Parkinson's?

Neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease (PD) affects both the fine motor control of the fingers and gross movement of the upper limb. Handwriting examinations are commonly performed in the analysis of tremor in PD and there is validity in subjective assessment in the clinic. However, there is clinical need for a more objective assessment instrument to assist in diagnosis. The Manus platform is a novel sensor system with automated mathematical methods, integrated with a digital pen, for differential diagnosis of PD that allows an objective assessment of handwriting. Our team are starting a clinical trial to assess the clinical usefulness of the system for differential diagnosis. The ability of the system to diagnose PD will be validated against the current best practice diagnosis of clinical opinion (or dopamine transporter imaging scan (DaTSCAN) imaging when an unequivocal diagnosis cannot be made). If the study proves clinically successful, the system may find application in clinics to aid in differentiating between impairments and be a low-cost alternative to DaTSCAN that can be operated with minimal training and is acceptable to patients.