A deterioration in multiple sclerosis patients’ handwriting aligns with drops in their movement, sensory and cognitive skills, a study reports.

MS includes loss of hand dexterity and finger movement control. This affects a patient’s capacity to manipulate objects and coordinate hand movement, skills needed in handwriting.

“Handwriting is an important and high-value activity, which requires complex sensorimotor, perceptual and cognitive skills,” the researchers wrote. “If one of these abilities declines, as frequently occurs in neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease and MS, handwriting could deteriorate.” The result is frustration and handwriting that doesn’t look like the patient’s.

Previous studies have shown that MS patients had less handwriting rhythm and control than healthy people.

This time researchers decided to compare the handwriting movements of both MS patients and healthy volunteers.

Read the rest of the article here.