Methods for evaluating treatment in Parkinson's disease.

Objective measurements of movement time, reaction time, and gait were compared with a clinical rating performed at the same times on several occasions in 10 patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Positive correlations between objective measures and clinical evaluation were demonstrated. Movement time was the single most useful index of motor deficit, but no objective tests were more sensitive than clinical evaluations in the detection of motor disorder. It is concluded that there is at present no effective substitute for clinical procedures, although the convenience and future potential of objective measurement justify the further development of such systems for use in the experimental study of PD.