Classi†cation of Parkinson’s Disease Severity Using Heart Rate Variability Analysis

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is accompanied by motor symptoms, psychiatric problems and sleep disorders. Four major motor symptoms that accompany Parkinson’s disease are tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia and postural instability. Common psychiatric problems observed in Parkinson’s disease are memory problems, low cognitive speed, depression and sleep disorders such as disturbances in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep or insomnia. In general, Parkinson’s symptoms appear after the age of 50. In addition, Parkinson’s disease is also an early warning sign of dementia. A sixfold increased risk of suffering dementia has been reported in patients with Parkinson’s disease (Jankovic, 2008).