Objective: Building on our prior FMAS validation in Parkinson’s disease (PD), we applied this tablet-based system to quantify finger movement in multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients during a visual-motor task.
Background: Bradykinesia is a core feature of MSA, a neurodegenerative disorder with parkinsonism, autonomic failure, and cerebellar involvement.
Method: We enrolled 52 MSA patients (diagnosed per the Second Consensus Statement; mean age 56.2 ± 7.8 years; 28 men, 24 women) and 51 age-matched healthy controls (mean age 55.8 ± 7.5 years; 25 men, 26 women). Exclusion criteria included MMSE <24, visual/joint impairments, or confounding medications. FMAS recorded latency (stimulus onset to movement initiation) and movement time (MT; finger flight duration) over 30 trials using a central start button and five peripheral stimuli. First quartile (Q1) values were analyzed. Assessments were performed off-medication, with correlations to Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS) scores.
Results: MSA patients exhibited significantly prolonged MT (right: 498.4 ± 128.7 ms; left: 492.1 ± 139.2 ms) compared to controls (right: 338.6 ± 78.5 ms; left: 344.3 ± 85.6 ms; P<0.001), with no significant latency differences (P>0.05). The latency/MT ratio was markedly reduced in MSA (right: 0.84 ± 0.21; left: 0.88 ± 0.24) versus controls (right: 1.21 ± 0.26; left: 1.19 ± 0.27; P<0.001). ROC analysis showed a right-side ratio cut-off of 1.05 (AUC=0.895) for differentiating MSA from controls. Parameters correlated strongly with UMSARS scores (r=0.52–0.68, P<0.01) and disease duration (P<0.01), but not age in MSA patients.
Conclusion: FMAS offers a simple, repeatable tool for objective bradykinesia assessment in MSA, revealing disproportionate MT delays. This may facilitate differential diagnosis from PD and enable remote monitoring in atypical parkinsonism.
References: Tang P, Hou C, Liu Y, et al. Quantitative assessment of finger movement profile in a visual-motor task based on a tablet computer: The application in parkinson’s disease[J]. J Parkinsons Dis,2019,9(4):811-819.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
P. Tang, Y. Liu. Quantitative Assessment of Finger Movement Profile in a Visual-Motor Task Using a Tablet Computer: Application in Multiple System Atrophy [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2026; 41 (suppl 1). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/quantitative-assessment-of-finger-movement-profile-in-a-visual-motor-task-using-a-tablet-computer-application-in-multiple-system-atrophy/. Accessed October 1, 2026.« Back to 2026 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/quantitative-assessment-of-finger-movement-profile-in-a-visual-motor-task-using-a-tablet-computer-application-in-multiple-system-atrophy/