Researchers from the University of Rochester Medical Center have made a significant breakthrough in the field of Parkinson’s disease by utilizing smartwatches and mobile phones to track disease progression in its early stages. Published in the journal npj Parkinson’s Disease, the study highlights the potential of everyday consumer devices in understanding neurological disorders and aiding the development of new therapies.

Lead author of the study, Dr. Jamie Adams, emphasized the importance of digital measures in providing objective and real-world insights into Parkinson’s disease progression. The data collected through smartwatches and smartphones offers a remote monitoring solution that can detect changes in various aspects of the disease, ultimately facilitating the evaluation of future treatment effectiveness.

The research, named WATCH-PD, followed individuals with early-stage Parkinson’s disease over a 12-month period, gathering digital data through mobile devices. The results revealed significant declines in gait, increased tremors, and subtle changes in speech among the participants. Smartwatches successfully identified common clinical features of Parkinson’s, such as reduced arm swing and daily activity levels, aligning with findings from previous long-term studies.

With the support of the Michael J. Fox Foundation, the WATCH-PD study has been extended for an additional 18 months and has engaged various stakeholders, including pharmaceutical companies and industry regulators, in further exploring the potential of smart devices in monitoring Parkinson’s disease progression.