Exploring Movement Impairments in Patients With Parkinson's Disease Using the Microsoft Kinect Sensor: A Feasibility Study.

Current assessments of motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease are often limited to clinical rating scales. To develop a computer application using the Microsoft Kinect sensor to assess performance-related bradykinesia. The developed application () was tested in patients with Parkinson's disease and healthy controls. Participants were assessed with the Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) and standardized clinical side effect rating scales, i.e., UKU Side Effect Rating Scale and Simpson-Angus Scale. Additionally, tests of information processing (Symbol Coding Task) and motor speed (Token Motor Task), together with a questionnaire, were applied. Thirty patients with Parkinson's disease and 33 healthy controls were assessed. In the patient group, there was a statistically significant ( < 0.05) association between prolonged time of motor performance in the and upper body rigidity and bradykinesia (MDS-UPDRS) with the strongest effects in the right hand ( < 0.001). In the entire group, prolonged time of motor performance was significantly associated with higher Simson-Angus scale rigidity score and higher UKU hypokinesia scores ( < 0.05). A shortened time of motor performance was significantly associated with higher scores on information processing ( < 0.05). Time of motor performance was not significantly associated with Token Motor Task, duration of illness, or hours of daily physical activity. The was well-accepted. In the present feasibility study the was able to detect common motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease in a statistically significant and clinically meaningful way, making it applicable for further testing in larger samples.