"RAJE" Evaluation for Parkinson's using Javascript

Introduction

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that affects more than 10 million people worldwide. Early diagnosis and intervention are crucial to managing the symptoms and improving the quality of life for patients with PD. The "RAJE" evaluation is a commonly used tool to assess the severity of PD based on four clinical criteria: Rigidity, Akinesia/Bradykinesia, Jaw/Tongue/Involuntary movements, and Eye movements. In this article, we will discuss how to implement the "RAJE" evaluation using Javascript.

Rigidity

Rigidity is the resistance of muscles to passive movement. To assess rigidity, we can use a device called a dynamometer, which measures the amount of force required to move a limb. In Javascript, we can simulate this measurement by asking the user to press a button with a certain amount of force. We can then use the force value to calculate the rigidity score.

let force = prompt("Please press the button with as much force as you can (in Newtons):");
let rigidityScore = //calculate the rigidity score based on the force value

Akinesia/Bradykinesia

Akinesia refers to the lack of voluntary movement, while bradykinesia refers to the slowness of movement. To assess akinesia/bradykinesia, we can ask the user to perform simple repetitive movements, such as tapping their finger or foot, or opening and closing their hand. We can then time how long it takes for the user to complete the movement, and use the time values to calculate the akinesia/bradykinesia score.

let startTime = Date.now();
//ask the user to perform the repetitive movement
let endTime = Date.now();
let timeTaken = endTime - startTime;
let akinesiaScore = //calculate the akinesia score based on the time taken

Jaw/Tongue/Involuntary Movements

Jaw and tongue movements, as well as involuntary movements such as tremors, can be assessed by observing the user's face and body during rest and movement. In Javascript, we can use the webcam and computer vision libraries such as OpenCV to detect and track facial and body movements, and calculate the jaw/tongue/involuntary movements score based on the number and intensity of movements detected.

//use OpenCV library to detect and track facial and body movements
let movementsDetected = //number of movements detected
let movementsIntensity = //intensity of movements detected
let jtiScore = //calculate the jaw/tongue/involuntary movements score based on the number and intensity of movements detected

Eye Movements

Eye movements, such as blink rate and saccades, can be assessed by tracking the user's gaze using eye-tracking devices or software. In Javascript, we can simulate eye tracking by asking the user to follow a moving object on the screen and measuring the number and speed of eye movements.

//ask the user to follow a moving object on the screen
let eyeMovements = //number of eye movements detected
let eyeSpeed = //speed of eye movements detected
let eyeScore = //calculate the eye movements score based on the number and speed of eye movements detected

Conclusion

By combining the scores from the four criteria, we can calculate the overall "RAJE" score and use it to evaluate the severity of PD. Javascript provides a convenient and accessible way to implement the "RAJE" evaluation, which can be used to support early diagnosis and intervention for PD patients.