Age related changes in skin sensitivity assessed with smartphone vibration testing

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Gerontology
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Tactile sensitivity, crucial for fingertip perception, declines with age due to changes in mechanoreceptors.
• Traditional methods for assessing tactile sensitivity lack remote capabilities and may have variable reliability.
• Smartphones offer a platform for calibrated, remote sensory assessments, potentially enhancing test reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a smartphone application (Vibratus App) for assessing tactile sensory thresholds in aging adults.
• To compare the efficacy of the Vibratus App with traditional tactile sensitivity tests and nerve conduction studies (NCS).

Main Methods:

• Peripheral nerve function was assessed in 40 healthy volunteers (ages 18-71) using monofilaments, a tuning fork, the Vibratus App, and NCS.
• Age-related differences in measurements were analyzed.
• Correlations between hand-held measurements and sensory nerve action potential (SNAP) amplitude were determined, alongside inter-rater reliability (ICC2,k).

Main Results:

• Vibratus App measurements showed significant differences between age groups (p < 0.001), indicating sensitivity to aging.
• Inter-rater reliability for the Vibratus App (ICC2,k = 0.69) was comparable to traditional methods (monofilament: 0.65, tuning fork: 0.79).
• Spearman correlations indicated associative strength between hand-held measurements and SNAP amplitude.

Conclusions:

• The Vibratus App effectively detects age-related changes in tactile sensory thresholds.
• Smartphones show promise as reliable tools for remote and at-home monitoring of tactile sensitivity.
• Further research is warranted to explore the clinical utility of smartphone-based sensory assessment tools.