The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS)
Article Sources
- 1. Perlmutter, Joel S. 'Assessment of Parkinson Disease Manifestations.' _Current Protocols in Neuroscience_, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Oct. 2009, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2897716/#:~:text=The most common rating scales,how to implement these ratings.
- 2. Publishing, Harvard Health. 'The Facts about Parkinson's Disease.' _Harvard Health_, www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-facts-about-parkinsons-disease.
- 3. Treatment.” _Parkinson's Foundation_, www.parkinson.org/Understanding-Parkinsons/Treatment.
- 4. 'Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Movement Disorders Society (MDS) Modified Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS).' _APTA_, www.apta.org/patient-care/evidence-based-practice-resources/test-measures/unified-parkinsons-disease-rating-scale-updrs-movement-disorders-society-mds-modified-unified-parkinsons-disease-rating-scale-mds-updrs.
- 5. Association, European Parkinson's Disease. 'Rating Scales.' _Rating Scales | European Parkinson's Disease Association_, www.epda.eu.com/about-parkinsons/symptoms/rating-scales/.
3. Using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale to Assess Parkinson’s Symptoms
The UPDRS, a comprehensive tool that also considers non-motor symptoms like mental functioning, mood and social interaction, has four segments. Developed in 1987, it has been internationally accepted as the standard for neurologists treating patients with Parkinson’s disease.4‘Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Movement Disorders Society (MDS) Modified Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS).’ APTA, www.apta.org/patient-care/evidence-based-practice-resources/test-measures/unified-parkinsons-disease-rating-scale-updrs-movement-disorders-society-mds-modified-unified-parkinsons-disease-rating-scale-mds-updrs. It helps physicians understand patients’ symptoms and determine the best course of treatment.
Neurologists using the scale work with patients to understand their symptoms and assign a number between 0 and 4 to each individual category. Lower ratings equate to no or mild indications, while higher ratings are given for moderate to severe symptoms.
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