{
  "id": 18019525,
  "title": "Parkinson Disease vs Aging Features Impairments in Formation and Release of a Power Grip in Real and Pantomimed String-Pulling",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/03/parkinson-disease-vs-aging-features-impairments-in-formation-and",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-03T00:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "bioRxiv",
    "slug": "biorxiv",
    "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.29.762925v1?rss=1"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Parkinson's disease (PD) can hinder skilled actions, but its impact on rhythmic, bimanual tasks remains unclear. To investigate this, researchers conducted a bimanual hand-over-hand string-pulling task, which involves reaching, grasping, pulling, pushing, and releasing. Of the participants, nine had PD, 16 were older adults, and 10 were young adults.\n\nIn the real task, along with a pantomimed version, the team employed video analyses to measure whole-body movement speed, upper-limb kinematics, and hand and finger shaping. Using machine-learning classification, they identified which movement components differentiated the participants. Those with PD demonstrated slower movement speed, a smaller hand workspace, and less hand and finger shaping, while older adults showed intermediate values.\n\nDespite these differences, all participants grasped the string with a power grip. However, those with PD showed reduced rotary arm and wrist movements, and lacked the arpeggio-like sequential finger movements observed during grasp and release. During pantomiming, those with PD moved faster and made larger hand movements, but their grasp-related hand opening and finger sequencing were reduced or absent.\n\nThese findings suggest that PD affects multiple components within a complex movement system. Additionally, the study reveals that task demands can modify movement organization: real string-pulling requires the formation and release of a power grip, while pantomiming does not.",
  "summary": "Parkinson disease (PD) impairs skilled reaching tasks but less is known about its effects on rhythmic bimanual actions. We used a bimanual hand-over-hand string-pulling task that requires repeated reach, grasp, pull, push and release movements. We predicted that participants with PD would show impairment in making the rotary skilled hand movement of retrieving the string, analogous to impairments…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": "https://urgent.news/ill/18019525.png",
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Nature",
        "title": "How a once-controversial idea is advancing understanding of Parkinson’s disease",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/how-a-once-controversial-idea-is-advancing-understanding-of",
        "published": "2026-11-04T00:00:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}