Objective Evaluation of Bradykinesia Using the RehaBEElitation Serious Game

Abstract

Bradykinesia is the main motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). The clinical assessment of bradykinesia is mainly based on clinical scales, however, this type of assessment is subjective and inaccurate. This study aimed to evaluate bradykinesia objectively using a developed serious game, called RehaBEElitation. Fifteen individuals with PD (experimental group - EG) and 15 healthy individuals (control group - CG) participated in this study. Data collection was performed in the ON and OFF states of medication. Bradykinesia was evaluated using the gold standard clinical assessment scale, and calculating the response time (RT) and the participants' angular velocity (AV) of movement when playing RehaBEElitation. The t-test and the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney test were used for each variable, RT and AV, to confirm the differences between CG and EG, EG in the two medication states, CG and EG in the ON state, and CG and EG in the OFF state. Significant differences between groups were found in all comparisons (p<0.001). CG participants had the smallest RT, followed by EG participants in the ON state and EG participants in the OFF state. CG exhibited the largest AV, followed by EG in the ON state and EG in the OFF state. In short, the RehaBEElitation serious game is an alternative tool to objectively assess bradykinesia of individuals with PD.