The results show two scores: one for the left hand/arm, and one for the right.

Each score is the number of p q cycles completed in 30 seconds plus an estimate of progress on an unfinished cycle. So, a high score is good.

As lindy points out the score is affected by medication. So, when we report on the effect of, for instance, exercise, we need to describe the circumstances in which the test is taken, e.g. before morning meds.

John

Tests completed at 12 pm 4 hours after taking 100/25 sinemet (i.e. in the wearing off time of medication). Results:
left hand score 15.67
right hand score 13.12
It a simple test and I suppose it brings some objectivity in follow up of progress of the disease. I also regularly use and make note of Rick's method by standing on one leg (left and right) with both arms lifted above head and touching each other (a yoga poster) and counting until falling off.
Generally speaking, I think most of us know how we are doing with or without medication from multiple of symptoms such as tremor, energy, rigidity, etc. .
Thank you John for your interesting contributions.

I took this test early this morning befoire I had any medicine. Then I took it again when I was mid-cycle with meds. The right hand stayed the same, but the left hand went down five points. How do we explain that?

Ann

Ann,

There are a number of possible explanations:

1. There is a bug in my program. Were the results correct?
2. There is a natural variability in performance. A typical score for me is 10, so a change of 5 is unlikely to be "natural", but if you have high scores that is possible.
3. Does your medication improve your arm movements? My meds make a big difference to my arms, but almost no difference to my legs.
4. Was your state improved by the meds? How did you feel on the second time compared with the first? Some PwP report feeling good first thing in the morning.
5. Did you follow the same protocol both times? Only the index finger of one hand.

John

Hi John, perhaps you need to add the time of day, or which dose of the day, or how many doses per day? Maybe last would cover everything.....

I've updated the program which measures the speed of your hand/arm movements. It works by timing how long it takes you to press a sequence of keys on your computer's keyboard.

Previously the duration of the test was fixed, 30 seconds, as were the keys you could use: q and p. You are now able to set both the duration and the keys. This lets you change the size of the movements being timed, from simple finger taps (with the two keys close together), to wide movements of, even on a laptop, at least 30 cm (with the two keys as far apart as possible). This allows you to make it more comparable to one of the CAPSIT-PD tests.

This program can be run online (nothing to install) at:
http://www.parkinsonsmeasurement.org...eToSideTap.htm

I'll be grateful for feedback, especially bug reports.

This test has proved itself to be very useful to me in my white ratting, especially when I looked at fermented and liposomal bananas. It doesn't tell the whole story, but it tells enough of the story that IMHO it should be used by all white rats.

In the nine months I've been using this test my test scores (measured in the morning before any meds) have improved from a combined left and right hand score, using the p and q keys for 30 seconds, of about 20 to over 30 now. This raises a number of questions:

How much does repeated use train you to improve your performance?

Do clinical trials always take this into account? If it's not well controlled with plenty of training before the trial begins, my experience shows that a 50% improvement might have nothing to do with what is being trialed. Of course, this effect should also be picked up in the control group. In which case, it would be put down as the placebo effect.

How much of the placebo effect is due to training?

A final question:

Is repeated use of neurological tests good exercise?

John