Andrew Heinzman
The United States Food and Drug Administration just cleared StrivePD, an app that tracks and detects Parkinson’s symptoms using Apple’s Movement Disorder API. Rune Labs, the company behind this app, hopes that it will accelerate Parkinson’s research and improve the lives of patients.
As defined by the NIA, Parkinson’s is a brain disorder that causes unintentional or uncontrollable body movements. Tremors, loss of balance, stiffness, and difficulty speaking are hallmarks of Parkinson’s. And while there’s no cure for the illness, proactive treatment can slow or alleviate some symptoms.
StrivePD should, in theory, remove some of the guesswork from Parkinson’s care. Doctors and patients can use the app to track how symptoms grow, change, or improve over time. And such detailed data could make care decisions (such as medication) more effective.
But the app isn’t just for collecting tremor data. Patients can use it to log their mood, for example, which may give them insight into their mental health (about 50% of people with Parkinson’s suffer from depression). The app can also remind patients to complete daily tasks, take their medication, or reflect on their goals.
StrivePD is currently open with a waitlist. Those who are accepted into the program will receive an Apple Watch, though they’ll need to convince their neurologist and care team to get involved.
