TAMPA, Fla. — Research at Florida Polytechnic University is helping to better understand Parkinson's Disease.

What You Need To Know

  • Parkinson's patients to exceed 1.2 million by 2030, according to the Parkinson's Foundation

  • Research developed at Florida Polytechnic will help better understand movement dysfunction

  • The research is funded by a National Science Foundation grant

  • Patients to participate in study in second year of research

The number of Parkinson’s patients is expected to rise to 1.2 million by 2030, according to the Parkinson’s Foundation. The organization describes the neurodegenerative disease as the second most common after Alzheimer’s.

That’s why new research like what’s being developed at Florida Polytechnic University is so essential.

“There’s not a clear-cut objective way to diagnose Parkinson’s disease," said Dr. Chris Kelley, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Florida Polytechnic University. "If we can have a moment-type measurement that more distinguishes between healthy and Parkinsonian reaching, than that can help with diagnosis as well,”

Kelley received a $200,000 National Science Foundation grant to develop the research. It aims to help improve the understanding of movement dysfunction using robotics, mapping and simulation.

“It’s trying to apply control theory, which is sort of an engineering type of way to characterize how something is moving or controlled, to understand how the brain is controlling movement, especially in dysfunction, particularly Parkinson’s disease,” said Kelley.

The effort will explore more than a diagnosis of the disorder.

“It’s kind of using robotics controlled theory to map it in the simulations and then after that, we’ll be moving towards recruiting patients for initial studies using this type of robotic device where our simulations will predict they’ll move a certain way," he said.

Dr. Terry Parker, Florida Poly’s provost, praised Kelly's work and dedication.

“Dr. Kelley is an exceptionally talented professor whose research and instructional style inspire and engage students,” Parker said. “This NSF grant is very much deserved and Florida Poly is proud of his achievements and his bright future that lies ahead.”

The hope is that a better understanding of that movement will also help improve treatment for Parkinson’s and rehabilitation. Kelley says patients will start participating in the research in about a year.

According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, these are early signs:

  • Tremor
  • Small handwriting
  • Loss of smell
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Trouble moving or walking
  • Constipation
  • Soft or low voice
  • Masked face (angry, depressed on your face)
  • Dizziness or Fainting
  • Stooping/hunching over