Collaboration with the UCSF Memory and Aging Center in the Development of Computer-based Technology for the Diagnosis of Neurodegenerative Diseases

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Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and Lewy Body Dementia are three of the most common neurodegenerative brain disorders, affecting in excess of 600,000 people in the UK alone. All three disorders share similar symptoms and consequently, can be easily misdiagnosed. For example, diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease based on clinical features is particularly unsafe with an error in diagnosis of up to 25% having been reported. Dr Smith has developed a novel non-invasive assessment of Parkinson's Disease which uses a computer-based system to measure patients undertaking simple tasks used in conventional clinical evaluation, such as finger tapping and drawing simple geometric shapes. An initial clinical trial has recently been completed at Leeds General Infirmary which demonstrated that this technology can be used to reliably identify Parkinson's disease patients, despite them receiving medication to compensate for their symptoms. The technology has also recently been patented by IP21 Ltd on behalf of the University of York.The aim of this work is to develop the technology further to discriminate between Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and Lewy Body Dementia. The purpose of the proposed visit to the Memory Center at the University of California, San Francisco is to establish a collaboration in which to study these conditions, having well integrated teams of academics and clinical staff using the latest methods of assessment.