The Mathematics of Movement Disorders

Summary

Many movement disorders cause extra or unwanted movements such as chorea (dance-like motions), dystonia (twisting postures), myoclonus (sudden jerks), tics (repeated movements or sounds) and tremor (shaking).

Currently, there are no simple or reliable ways to measure specific movements associated with movement disorders. This makes it difficult to track changes over time, compare one person’s experience with another’s, or test how well treatments work.

The aims of this research study are to develop objective methods to measure movements more precisely and to explore which genes might play a role in the development of movement disorders.

To do this, we will recruit 100 people with a movement disorder and 100 without. All participants will complete an online questionnaire, and those with a movement disorder will also answer questions about how their condition affects their daily life. To study movement, participants will attend a laboratory session where we will record movement using; specialised cameras that track reflective markers placed on the skin, computer vision linked with cameras, and wireless sensors that record muscle activity. Using advanced computer analysis and machine learning, we will turn these recordings into reliable measures that could improve clinical assessment.

Improving the way we measure movement disorders, by combining the mathematics of movement with genetics, could lead to earlier diagnosis, more personalised care, and better treatments for people living with movement disorders.