BK21 Plus Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering, Konkuk University, Chungju, Korea.
Division of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Korea Maritime and Ocean University, Busan, Korea.
Technol Health Care. 2022;30(S1):115-122. doi: 10.3233/THC-228011.
Quantitative measures of the finger tapping task is important for objective assessment of bradykinesia. However, age-related changes in quantitative measures are still unclear.
The aim of this study was to quantitatively investigate age-related group differences in finger tapping performance.
Eighty-three healthy normal subjects with age ranging from aged 20 to 89 years participated in this study. All subjects were instructed to tap their index finger and thumbs as rapidly as possible and with as large amplitude as possible. Angular velocity of the finger tapping movement was measured using a gyrosensor. Quantitative variables include root mean squared (RMS) angular velocity, RMS angular displacement, peak power and peak frequency derived from angular velocity signals.
Significant age-related differences were observed in RMS angular velocity, peak power and peak frequency (P< 0.001). Specifically, the oldest age group had the slowest average speed, the lowest peak power and peak frequency. These results indicate deterioration in finger speed, intensity of the main movement component and tapping frequency due to aging.
The results suggest that the quantitative variables should be adjusted for age when clinicians assess Parkinsonian bradykinesia. The results contribute to the development of an accurate and quantitative assessment tool for bradykinesia.
手指叩击任务的定量测量对于运动迟缓的客观评估很重要。然而，定量测量的年龄相关性变化仍不清楚。
本研究旨在定量研究手指叩击表现的年龄相关组间差异。
本研究纳入了 83 名年龄在 20 至 89 岁之间的健康正常受试者。所有受试者均被要求尽可能快地用尽可能大的幅度叩击食指和拇指。使用陀螺仪传感器测量手指叩击运动的角速度。定量变量包括均方根（RMS）角速度、RMS 角位移、源自角速度信号的峰值功率和峰值频率。
RMS 角速度、峰值功率和峰值频率均表现出显著的年龄相关性差异（P<0.001）。具体来说，年龄最大的组平均速度最慢，峰值功率和峰值频率最低。这些结果表明，随着年龄的增长，手指速度、主运动分量的强度和叩击频率都会恶化。
这些结果提示临床医生在评估帕金森病运动迟缓时应根据年龄调整定量变量。研究结果有助于开发一种准确和定量的运动迟缓评估工具。
