Grant: Doctoral Research Award - PA: Psychosocial Research Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder affecting 1% of Canadians 65+ years. Neurological disorders are a major cause of disability; $447 million was spent on PD in Canada during 2000-01 (CIHI 2007). Women with PD often endure increased disability and exaggerated clinical features (dyskinesia). In general, women experience greater loss of skeletal muscle and lower-limb strength relative to men that impacts the ability to remain functionally independent. This project aims to understand how PD affects functional abilities of men and women at different disease stages; 1) measure daily muscle activity using portable electromyography (EMG), determine low-threshold muscle activity differences for 2) disease-stage and 3) sex. The results are expected to show stage- and sex-differences. EMG defines muscle activity that is used to execute movement. Knowing what is happening at a neuromuscular level will provide a clearer understanding of how PD influences mobility. This new-knowledge will determine the practicality and reliability of EMG as a clinical assessment tool. There is an immediate need to develop new knowledge about the sex-related differences in PD. If significant sex-differences of muscle activity in PD exist, namely lower-thresholds in women, this research may influence policy related to developing sex-specific treatment pathways. Application of this new-knowledge will improve practice by providing early indication of muscle activity change, through EMG. It will also enable better-targeted rehabilitation interventions, by utilizing ranges of muscle activity to guide appropriate intensity. The uniqueness of PD benefits from specialized medical expertise and the declining availability of neurologist-care increases pressure on multidisciplinary health teams. Knowing how to manage this disease through supplementary healthcare means (e.g. exercise) will enable stakeholders to better meet the specific needs of PD across the disease spectrum.