Can smartwatches help detect Parkinson's before doctors?

In today’s digital era, traditional wristwatches have been transformed into smartwatches. These new gadgets not only track time and date but are now being utilised to get notifications from smartphones and even track health. It allows people to check their heart rate, SPO2, calories, and even ECG (if it’s a high-end one). That’s not all it does. A recent study found that smartwatches could identify Parkinson’s disease seven years before the disease’s main symptoms manifest. How is that possible? Let’s take a look. Also read: 'Game-changer': Tests using cerebrospinal fluid samples can help in early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, says study What are the findings? A study that appeared in the journal Nature Medicine found that smartwatches can monitor alterations in a person’s movement pattern that are related to Parkinson’s disease. According to Sky News, researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to examine participants’ movement patterns over the course of seven days and identify those who would eventually contract the disease. The new study, led by researchers at Cardiff University’s Neuroscience and Mental Health Innovation Institute and the UK Dementia Research Institute, gathered data from 103,712 participants who wore a medical-grade smartwatch for seven days between 2013 and 2016. The timepieces calculated each participant’s average speed and compared the results to a group of individuals who had already been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. This AI model was effective at identifying those who were at risk of contracting the illness, and it even offered projections for how the illness would evolve over time, according to The Independent. Additionally, the researchers had 90 per cent accuracy in identifying those who were at risk of acquiring Parkinson’s disease. This would improve the quality of life for those who already have the condition. Dr Cynthia Sandor, an emerging leader at the UK Dementia Research Institute at Cardiff University, told The Independent, “With these results, we could develop a valuable screening tool to aid in the early detection of Parkinson’s. This has implications both for research, in improving recruitment into clinical trials; and in clinical practice, in allowing patients to access treatments at an earlier stage, in future when such treatments become available.” [caption id=“attachment_12831212” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Parkinson’s disease is an illness that affects nerve cells in the brain that control movement. Pixabay[/caption] According to Dr Kathryn Peall, clinical senior lecturer at Cardiff University’s NMHII, since early diagnosis is currently very challenging, this promising new technology may give patients crucial access to treatment before they sustain significant brain damage. By the time symptoms appear, the substantia nigra, the region of the brain that contains dopaminergic neurons, will often have lost more than half of its cells. “For most people with Parkinson’s disease, by the time they start to experience symptoms, many of the affected brain cells have already been lost," Dr Peall told the British outlet. “Though our findings here are not intended to replace existing methods of diagnosis, smartwatch data could provide a useful screening tool to aid in the early detection of the disease. This means that as new treatments hopefully begin to emerge, people will be able to access them before the disease causes extensive damage to the brain.” Also read: How physiotherapy tools equipped with robots are paving the way for faster recovery of neurological patients What is Parkinson’s disease? According to Parkinson’s Europe, Parkinson’s disease is an illness that affects nerve cells in the brain that control movement. It causes gradual damage to many areas of the brain and is currently the fastest-growing neurological disorder in the world. Physical and psychological symptoms can include tremors or shaking that isn’t voluntary, slow movement, and rigid, non-flexible muscles. Additionally, patients may develop balance concerns, a loss of smell, memory challenges, or insomnia. Symptoms usually begin gradually and worsen over time. According to World Health Organization, global estimates in 2019 showed over 8.5 million individuals with this disease. A 2020 study published in the National Library of Medicine cited estimates from 2016 and said that there are around 0.58 million people living in India who have Parkinson’s, with a significant rise in prevalence anticipated in the upcoming years. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News,  Trending News,  Cricket News,  Bollywood News, India News and  Entertainment News here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.