Assisted technology in Parkinson's disease gait: what's up?

Abstract

Background Gait disturbances are prevalent and debilitating symptoms, diminishing mobility and quality of life for Parkinson's disease (PD) individuals. While traditional treatments offer partial relief, there is a growing interest in alternative interventions to address this challenge. Recently, a remarkable surge in assisted technology (AT) development was witnessed to aid individuals with PD. Objective To explore the burgeoning landscape of AT interventions tailored to alleviate PD-related gait impairments and describe current research related to such aim. Methods In this review, we searched on PubMed for papers published in English (2018-2023). Additionally, the abstract of each study was read to ensure inclusion. Four researchers searched independently, including studies according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results We included studies that met all inclusion criteria. We identified key trends in assistive technology of gait parameters analysis in PD. These encompass wearable sensors, gait analysis, real-time feedback and cueing techniques, virtual reality, and robotics. Conclusion This review provides a resource for guiding future research, informing clinical decisions, and fostering collaboration among researchers, clinicians, and policymakers. By delineating this rapidly evolving field's contours, it aims to inspire further innovation, ultimately improving the lives of PD patients through more effective and personalized interventions.

Update on the diagnosis and treatment of neurological diseases

“…3 In the area of neuro-rehabilitation, Capato and colleagues present a robust article highlighting the news on assisted technology in Parkinson's disease gait. 4 The authors present new alternative interventions with assisted technology, which can be used to improve gait disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease. 4 In the area of epilepsy, Pinto and colleagues present the article entitled "Practices in the prescription of antiseizure medications: is it time to change?".…”

“…4 The authors present new alternative interventions with assisted technology, which can be used to improve gait disorders in patients with Parkinson's disease. 4 In the area of epilepsy, Pinto and colleagues present the article entitled "Practices in the prescription of antiseizure medications: is it time to change?". 5 The authors review the various advantages of prescribing the new antiseizure medications (ASM), emphasizing that the selection of these ASMs should be made according to the individual characteristics of each patient, and provide practical suggestions for choosing the new ASMs.…”