Effects of Training Involving Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation on Upper-limb Movements in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

The box and block test (BBT)

Time Frame: Baseline (T1). Before the training. BBT requires 8-10 minutes to administer.

BBT is used to measure manual dexterity as well as upper-limb movement speed. It is a 53.7\* 25.4 cm box separated into two compartments by a 15.2 cm high erected partition, with 150 blocks in each compartment. Starting from the dominant hand, patients will be asked to move the blocks one by one from the compartment on the hand side to the opposite side (e.g., move the blocks from the right compartment to the left compartment for the right hand test). Patients should move the blocks with their arms raised and crossed over the partition. They have one minute to move the blocks as fast as possible. The score of BBT for each hand is the quantity of blocks transferred between compartments in one minute. A higher score indicates faster upper-limb movements and better dexterity. For the elderly, the BBT has high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 to 0.97) and construct validity.

The box and block test (BBT)

Time Frame: Day 8 (T2). During the training. BBT requires 8-10 minutes to administer.

BBT is used to measure manual dexterity as well as upper-limb movement speed. It is a 53.7\* 25.4 cm box separated into two compartments by a 15.2 cm high erected partition, with 150 blocks in each compartment. Starting from the dominant hand, patients will be asked to move the blocks one by one from the compartment on the hand side to the opposite side (e.g., move the blocks from the right compartment to the left compartment for the right hand test). Patients should move the blocks with their arms raised and crossed over the partition. They have one minute to move the blocks as fast as possible. The score of BBT for each hand is the quantity of blocks transferred between compartments in one minute. A higher score indicates faster upper-limb movements and better dexterity. For the elderly, the BBT has high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 to 0.97) and construct validity.

The box and block test (BBT)

Time Frame: Day 15 (T3). During the training. BBT requires 8-10 minutes to administer.

BBT is used to measure manual dexterity as well as upper-limb movement speed. It is a 53.7\* 25.4 cm box separated into two compartments by a 15.2 cm high erected partition, with 150 blocks in each compartment. Starting from the dominant hand, patients will be asked to move the blocks one by one from the compartment on the hand side to the opposite side (e.g., move the blocks from the right compartment to the left compartment for the right hand test). Patients should move the blocks with their arms raised and crossed over the partition. They have one minute to move the blocks as fast as possible. The score of BBT for each hand is the quantity of blocks transferred between compartments in one minute. A higher score indicates faster upper-limb movements and better dexterity. For the elderly, the BBT has high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 to 0.97) and construct validity.

The box and block test (BBT)

Time Frame: Post-intervention (T4). BBT requires 8-10 minutes to administer.

BBT is used to measure manual dexterity as well as upper-limb movement speed. It is a 53.7\* 25.4 cm box separated into two compartments by a 15.2 cm high erected partition, with 150 blocks in each compartment. Starting from the dominant hand, patients will be asked to move the blocks one by one from the compartment on the hand side to the opposite side (e.g., move the blocks from the right compartment to the left compartment for the right hand test). Patients should move the blocks with their arms raised and crossed over the partition. They have one minute to move the blocks as fast as possible. The score of BBT for each hand is the quantity of blocks transferred between compartments in one minute. A higher score indicates faster upper-limb movements and better dexterity. For the elderly, the BBT has high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 to 0.97) and construct validity.

The Jebsen hand function test (JHFT)

Time Frame: Baseline (T1). Before the training. JHFT takes approximately 15 minutes to administer.

JHFT is used to assess unimanual hand function when examinees perform daily activities. Seven items are included in JHFT: writing, turning cards, picking up small objects, simulated feeding, stacking checkers, moving large light objects, and moving large heavy objects. Considering that the patients are Chinese speakers, it is not appropriate to do English writing. According to a previous study conducted in Chinese cultures, the JHFT could be modified through excluding the writing item to avoid cultural influences on scores. The score for each item is the completion time. The less time a patient takes, the better hand function s/he has. The JHFT has excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.89 to 0.97) for PD patients.

The Jebsen hand function test (JHFT)

Time Frame: Day 8 (T2). During the training. JHFT takes approximately 15 minutes to administer.

JHFT is used to assess unimanual hand function when examinees perform daily activities. Seven items are included in JHFT: writing, turning cards, picking up small objects, simulated feeding, stacking checkers, moving large light objects, and moving large heavy objects. Considering that the patients are Chinese speakers, it is not appropriate to do English writing. According to a previous study conducted in Chinese cultures, the JHFT could be modified through excluding the writing item to avoid cultural influences on scores. The score for each item is the completion time. The less time a patient takes, the better hand function s/he has. The JHFT has excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.89 to 0.97) for PD patients.

The Jebsen hand function test (JHFT)

Time Frame: Day 15 (T3). During the training. JHFT takes approximately 15 minutes to administer.

JHFT is used to assess unimanual hand function when examinees perform daily activities. Seven items are included in JHFT: writing, turning cards, picking up small objects, simulated feeding, stacking checkers, moving large light objects, and moving large heavy objects. Considering that the patients are Chinese speakers, it is not appropriate to do English writing. According to a previous study conducted in Chinese cultures, the JHFT could be modified through excluding the writing item to avoid cultural influences on scores. The score for each item is the completion time. The less time a patient takes, the better hand function s/he has. The JHFT has excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.89 to 0.97) for PD patients.

The Jebsen hand function test (JHFT)

Time Frame: Post-intervention (T4). JHFT takes approximately 15 minutes to administer.

JHFT is used to assess unimanual hand function when examinees perform daily activities. Seven items are included in JHFT: writing, turning cards, picking up small objects, simulated feeding, stacking checkers, moving large light objects, and moving large heavy objects. Considering that the patients are Chinese speakers, it is not appropriate to do English writing. According to a previous study conducted in Chinese cultures, the JHFT could be modified through excluding the writing item to avoid cultural influences on scores. The score for each item is the completion time. The less time a patient takes, the better hand function s/he has. The JHFT has excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.89 to 0.97) for PD patients.

Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor section (MDS-UPDRS III)

Time Frame: Baseline (T1). Before the training. MDS-UPDRS III takes approximately 15 minutes to administer.

The MDS-UPDRS evaluates various aspects of PD, including four parts: subjective non-motor experiences of daily living, subjective motor experiences of daily living, motor examination of the motor signs of PD, and motor complications based on historical and objective information. The scale is widely used in clinical settings as well as in research. We calculated the score of MDS-UPDRS Ⅲ, which is the motor examination of the motor signs, to assess the severity of bradykinesia.

Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor section (MDS-UPDRS III)

Time Frame: Post-intervention (T4). MDS-UPDRS III takes approximately 15 minutes to administer.

The MDS-UPDRS evaluates various aspects of PD, including four parts: subjective non-motor experiences of daily living, subjective motor experiences of daily living, motor examination of the motor signs of PD, and motor complications based on historical and objective information. The scale is widely used in clinical settings as well as in research. We calculated the score of MDS-UPDRS Ⅲ, which is the motor examination of the motor signs, to assess the severity of bradykinesia.

The Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT)

Time Frame: Baseline (T1). Before the training. Before the training. NHPT takes approximately 5 minutes to administer.

The NHPT is widely used measure of hand dexterity in a broad range of ages and population. The NHPT requires participants to quickly pick up nine small pegs from a concave receptacle, place them into holes on a board as fast as possible, and then move them back to the receptacle. The total time has been recorded as the result of NHPT, the less time taken indicate better hand dexterity. It has a high test-retest reliability for both hand (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.88 to 0.91) and construct validity in PD population.

The Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT)

Time Frame: Day 8 (T2). During the training. NHPT takes approximately 5 minutes to administer.

The NHPT is widely used measure of hand dexterity in a broad range of ages and population. The NHPT requires participants to quickly pick up nine small pegs from a concave receptacle, place them into holes on a board as fast as possible, and then move them back to the receptacle. The total time has been recorded as the result of NHPT, the less time taken indicate better hand dexterity. It has a high test-retest reliability for both hand (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.88 to 0.91) and construct validity in PD population.

The Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT)

Time Frame: Day 15 (T3). During the training. NHPT takes approximately 5 minutes to administer.

The NHPT is widely used measure of hand dexterity in a broad range of ages and population. The NHPT requires participants to quickly pick up nine small pegs from a concave receptacle, place them into holes on a board as fast as possible, and then move them back to the receptacle. The total time has been recorded as the result of NHPT, the less time taken indicate better hand dexterity. It has a high test-retest reliability for both hand (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.88 to 0.91) and construct validity in PD population.

The Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT)

Time Frame: Post-intervention (T4). NHPT takes approximately 5 minutes to administer.

The NHPT is widely used measure of hand dexterity in a broad range of ages and population. The NHPT requires participants to quickly pick up nine small pegs from a concave receptacle, place them into holes on a board as fast as possible, and then move them back to the receptacle. The total time has been recorded as the result of NHPT, the less time taken indicate better hand dexterity. It has a high test-retest reliability for both hand (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.88 to 0.91) and construct validity in PD population.

The box and block test (BBT)

Time Frame: One-month follow-up (T5). BBT requires 8-10 minutes to administer.

BBT is used to measure manual dexterity as well as upper-limb movement speed. It is a 53.7\* 25.4 cm box separated into two compartments by a 15.2 cm high erected partition, with 150 blocks in each compartment. Starting from the dominant hand, patients will be asked to move the blocks one by one from the compartment on the hand side to the opposite side (e.g., move the blocks from the right compartment to the left compartment for the right hand test). Patients should move the blocks with their arms raised and crossed over the partition. They have one minute to move the blocks as fast as possible. The score of BBT for each hand is the quantity of blocks transferred between compartments in one minute. A higher score indicates faster upper-limb movements and better dexterity. For the elderly, the BBT has high test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.89 to 0.97) and construct validity.

The Jebsen hand function test (JHFT)

Time Frame: One-month follow-up (T5). JHFT takes approximately 15 minutes to administer.

JHFT is used to assess unimanual hand function when examinees perform daily activities. Seven items are included in JHFT: writing, turning cards, picking up small objects, simulated feeding, stacking checkers, moving large light objects, and moving large heavy objects. Considering that the patients are Chinese speakers, it is not appropriate to do English writing. According to a previous study conducted in Chinese cultures, the JHFT could be modified through excluding the writing item to avoid cultural influences on scores. The score for each item is the completion time. The less time a patient takes, the better hand function s/he has. The JHFT has excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.89 to 0.97) for PD patients.

Movement Disorder Society-sponsored revision of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor section (MDS-UPDRS III)

Time Frame: One-month follow-up (T5). MDS-UPDRS III takes approximately 15 minutes to administer.

The MDS-UPDRS evaluates various aspects of PD, including four parts: subjective non-motor experiences of daily living, subjective motor experiences of daily living, motor examination of the motor signs of PD, and motor complications based on historical and objective information. The scale is widely used in clinical settings as well as in research. We calculated the score of MDS-UPDRS Ⅲ, which is the motor examination of the motor signs, to assess the severity of bradykinesia.

The Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT)

Time Frame: One-month follow-up (T5). NHPT takes approximately 5 minutes to administer.

The NHPT is widely used measure of hand dexterity in a broad range of ages and population. The NHPT requires participants to quickly pick up nine small pegs from a concave receptacle, place them into holes on a board as fast as possible, and then move them back to the receptacle. The total time has been recorded as the result of NHPT, the less time taken indicate better hand dexterity. It has a high test-retest reliability for both hand (intraclass correlation coefficients of 0.88 to 0.91) and construct validity in PD population.