Here’s how scientists are studying Parkinson’s disease using robots
This video is part of: Centre for Health and Healthcare
Their findings could help doctors identify patients at risk of cognitive decline and lead to better therapies.
Scientists are utilizing robots for a deeper understanding of hallucinations experienced by Parkinson's disease patients. Here's what you need to know.
Here's how hallucinations are induced
The EPFL study utilizes two robots to induce a "presence hallucination" in the participant. The participant pokes the front robot. After a slight delay, the back robot pokes the participant. This triggers a presence hallucination.
The participant then wears a VR headset showing a room filled with people. The tendency to overestimate the number of people in a room, a natural evolutionary response to a potential threat, is more pronounced in patients with Parkinson's.
It can manifest even before tremors or stiffness, potentially signaling cognitive decline and the need for early intervention.
Parkinson's disease: a global challenge
Parkinson's disease affects over 8.5 million people worldwide. Non-communicable diseases cause a staggering 41 million deaths globally each year, with 29 million of these occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
This research holds promise for earlier identification of patients at risk for cognitive decline and the development of improved treatment options.
