The Treatment of Akinesia using Virtual Images

by Jerrold D. Prothero

Subjects

Two subjects participated in this study, T.R. and D.L. Both subjects were otherwise healthy men, aged 46 and 51 respectively, tested in an unmedicated state. In an unmedicated state and without visual cues, T.R.'s forward gait consisted of a 3--4 inch shuffle per step. His backward gait was somewhat freer. When presented with a row of dimes placed about a stride-length apart, however, he had discovered that he could walk freely or even run. A number of persons familiar with Parkinson's disease indicated that they had never before seen such a striking case of kinesia paradoxa.

D.L.'s unmedicated gait was much closer to normal, although subject to deterioration when required to count or talk, and prone to freezing in the presence of obstacles.

Both subjects have stronger symptoms on the left side.

The exploratory phase of this study was conducted with T.R. The confirmation phase was conducted with D.L.