New diagnostic method detects Parkinson’s Disease through manner of walking

A new diagnostic method that ascertains if a person is suffering from Parkinson’s disease or dementia by looking at the manner of walking has been patented.

A new diagnostic technique developed by a St. Mary's Hospital research team in Uijeongbu has been patented and put up for patent registration, which analyses data from an individual's shoes to detect neurological disorders.

Most degenerative brain disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, dementia, and Lou Gehrig's disease, occur at an older age.

Currently, a costly MRI or a PET scan is required for such diagnosis, as well as frequent visits to the hospital.

The new approach, on the other hand, employs a "smart insole" that is placed inside a shoe and collects data from its sensors, which is then analyzed to assess the brain health of the wearer.

The new technique achieved an accuracy of 98.1 percent for the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease, as well as 83.2 percent for differentiating whether an illness is vascular or degenerative.