Clinical trial NCT06436287: Handwriting Analysis in Movement Disorders.
Official title: Handwriting Analysis in Movement Disorders.
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
Conditions: Movement Disorders
Lead sponsor: Western University, Canada
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-05-31
Enrollment: 100
Sex: ALL
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Movement disorder patients will be recruited from the London Movement Disorder Clinic.

Brief summary: Movement disorders are a group of neurological conditions that cause problems with movement, either in the form of excessive, reduced, or slow movements. Some commonly known movement disorders include Parkinson disease, dystonia, ataxia, and Tourette syndrome. Multiple movement disorders have unique handwriting characteristics that can be measured using an inkless pen and a digitalized tablet. Handwriting is a complex skill that requires a combination of cognition, motor planning, and visuomotor integration. Handwriting deteriorates in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.

This study aims to discern variations in the kinematics (movement patterns) involved in handwriting between individuals with movement disorders and healthy controls. Participants will be invited to carry out a series of handwriting tasks. The pen motions will be captured using an inkless pen and a digitizing tablet linked to a laptop. The entire set of tasks is designed to be completed within 30 minutes. The data will then be collected, processed, and analyzed utilizing a handwriting analysis software.

Detailed description: Background: Handwriting is a complex skill that requires a combination of cognition, motor planning, and visuomotor integration. Various brain structures including the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum are involved in learning and performing handwriting. Many neurological disorders impact these brain structures in unique ways, leading to distinct effects on handwriting. Changes in handwriting performance are a prominent feature of Parkinson disease (PD), ataxias, and other movement disorders. Handwriting analysis can serve as a tool to distinguish and monitor the progression of movement disorders. Patients suffering from PD exhibit impairments of previously learned motor skills, including handwriting. It has been demonstrated that patients in the early stages of Parkinson disease exhibit variations in handwriting when compared to healthy individuals. The current research will investigate kinematics, visuospatial adaptation, and learning in different movement disorders through handwriting analysis.

Data collection and Measurement techniques: The subject will be seated comfortably at a table with the digitalized tablet positioned to allow a natural writing position for the subject. Pen movements will be recorded using a non-inking pen and Wacom Cintiq 16-inch digitizing tablet connected to a laptop. A practice session will be provided to each participant to familiarize them with the inkless writing pen and tablet. Before each task, participants will be given instructions on how to perform the task. Participants will be instructed to complete several writing exercises aimed at evaluating various aspects of their handwriting skills. Each task will be repeated multiple times and the entire set of handwriting exercises will be completed within 30 minutes.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

(1) Diagnosed with a movement disorder.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Action tremor or weakness in the dominant hand interfering with writing task.
2. Unable to write or understand English

Primary outcomes:
measure: Primary handwriting kinematic parameter (velocity)
timeFrame: Day 1
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Secondary handwriting kinematic parameter (acceleration)
timeFrame: Day 1
measure: Secondary handwriting kinematic parameter (duration)
timeFrame: Day 1
measure: Pen pressure
timeFrame: Day 1
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: London
country: Canada
facility: Aditya Murgai
state: Ontario
Study officials:
References: