Mobile health technologies for the management of Parkinson's disease

Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have the potential to revolutionize the management of Parkinson's disease (PD) by providing objective data on symptom severity, fluctuations, and response to treatment.

Herein, the author reviews the latest articles including randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses, on the current and emerging mobile health technologies used in the management of PD. The mobile health technologies discussed include wearable devices, smartwatches and smartphones.

Digital health technologies have added value in the monitoring and management of PD. Wearable sensors, smartphone applications, virtual reality environments, and tablet-based cognitive tools continuously collect objective data on motor symptoms, including tremors, gait, and bradykinesia, taken in a patient's daily environment. These technologies provide data for remote therapeutic adjustments and rehabilitative planning, improving patient convenience and potentially enhancing their quality of life. However, limitations do exist including: the lack of international guidelines, the cost of wearable devices and data analysis services, and device heterogeneity. Future studies are necessitated to better refine algorithmic thresholds and validate digital tools, while also providing patients with clear transparency and ensuring complete data security, if there is to be widespread uptake of this potentially valuable technology for delivering more personalized treatment plans for people with PD.