Currently submitted to: JMIR Neurotechnology
Date Submitted: Mar 12, 2026
Open Peer Review Period: Mar 18, 2026 - May 13, 2026
(currently open for review)
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Validity of Digital Analysis of Human Finger, Hand, and Foot Movements Using Video Taping in Parkinson’s Disease
ABSTRACT
Background:
Background:
Clinical assessment of fine motor and gross motor deficits in Parkinson’s disease (PD) relies heavily on subjective scoring systems, including the motor section of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Variability between raters and limited granularity present challenges for clinical trials and routine monitoring. MOVXAM is a newly developed, video-based digital analysis system that quantifies human movement without sensors or wearable devices.
Objective:
To evaluate the validity of the MOVXAM system in quantifying amplitude and duration variability of finger tapping, hand flapping, and foot tapping movements in individuals with PD compared with healthy controls.
Methods:
Using a single high-resolution video camera, 10-second recordings were obtained from 20 healthy adults and 22 individuals with PD (Hoehn & Yahr stages II–III). Participants completed standardized modules: thumb-index finger tapping (FIT), hand flapping (HF), and foot tapping (FOT). MOVXAM software converted raw video frames into 2-dimensional vertical and horizontal waveforms. Variability metrics included amplitude variance, duration variance, and bilateral differences. Statistical comparisons between groups used independent sample t-tests.
Results:
Results:
PD participants demonstrated significantly higher vertical waveform amplitude variance across most modules, including LFIT, RFIT, RHF, LFOT, and RFOT (p < 0.01). Duration variance was significantly greater in PD for both FIT and FOT (p < 0.001). Bilateral performance differences were markedly larger in PD for FIT and HF (p < 0.01). Horizontal waveform measures showed no significant group differences.
Conclusions:
Conclusion: MOVXAM provides a reliable, sensor-free method for quantifying motor variability in PD. Vertical waveform amplitude and duration variability, particularly during finger tapping and foot tapping, effectively distinguish PD from control performance. The system offers objective, remote-ready digital biomarkers that complement clinical UPDRS scoring and may support research and clinical monitoring. Clinical Trial: IRB- Brany
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