Therapeutic area

Friedreich ataxia

Evaluating wearable measures of mobility and upper limb function in children and adults with Friedreich ataxia.

Friedreich ataxia (FA) is an inherited condition that progressively affects balance, walking, limb coordination, and speech. It is caused by changes in both copies of the FXN gene and can also involve heart disease, scoliosis, and diabetes. Symptoms and their progression vary from person to person.

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Wearable measures associated with FA severity

A Communications Medicine study of 39 people with FA found that seven days of wearable data were associated with clinical severity scores and biological measures. The findings support further evaluation of wearable measures in FA research.

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Our research in FA

Our FA research focuses on two areas: evaluating wearable measures of mobility and upper limb function, and building longitudinal datasets to complement clinical assessments in children and adults with FA.

Digital measures for FA research

We are developing wearable measures to study everyday movement in children and adults with FA. Pendant and wrist sensors record activity and upper limb movement during home monitoring periods, adding context to clinical assessments. Longitudinal research is evaluating their ability to detect changes in function.

  • PAMSys

    Pendant-based monitoring of physical activity, walking, posture, and postural transitions during daily life.

  • PAMSys ULM

    Wrist-worn monitoring of upper limb activity and movement patterns consistent with goal-directed use during everyday activities.

Evidence supporting digital measures in FA

Published work provides initial evidence linking wearable measures to established FA assessments. These findings support further study of clinical validity; sensitivity to progression and treatment response requires longitudinal evaluation.

  • Disease severity

    Estimating clinical severity

    Models incorporating wearable data estimated clinical severity scores within the study cohort using cross-validation. This analysis assessed current severity rather than predicting future progression.

  • Upper limb function

    Upper limb movement monitoring

    A 2024 AAN conference abstract reported associations between wrist-derived movement features and clinical scores in neurological disorders, including FA, after one week of monitoring.

Our clinical study in FA

BioDigit FA evaluates wearable measures alongside clinical assessments over time. The figures below describe the BioSensics wearable cohort; the linked registry covers the broader UNIFAI natural-history study. These figures are distinct from the published seven-day analysis of 39 participants.

Our research partners

Our FA research brings together clinical researchers and patient advocacy organizations.

  • Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance
  • Muscular Dystrophy Association
  • Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Selected publications and presentations

Advance FA research with digital measures

Bring everyday function into FA research. Contact our team to discuss research collaborations, study protocols and data access, or the use of digital measures in your clinical studies.

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