MDS-UPDRS Part III – Motor Examination
The clinician-administered motor examination in Parkinson’s disease. Total 0 to 132.
By Claire White
- Clinician-administered; approximately 20 minutes. Rater training required.
- 18 items, 33 scored elements covering speech, facial expression, rigidity, finger tapping, hand movements, pronation-supination, toe tapping, leg agility, arising from chair, gait, freezing, postural stability, posture, global spontaneity of movement, tremor, and dyskinesias.
- Total 0 to 132 (0 = no motor impairment).
What it measures
Part III is the objective motor examination at the core of the MDS-UPDRS. A trained clinician rates 33 elements across the cardinal features of Parkinson’s disease: bradykinesia (finger tapping, hand movements, pronation-supination, toe tapping, leg agility, arising, gait, global slowness), tremor (resting, action, and postural), rigidity, and postural instability. Dyskinesias and freezing are also rated.
What the result tells you
Part III total (0 to 132) reflects motor severity at the time of examination. It is the most widely used single measure in Parkinson’s disease motor trials. Results depend on medication state (ON vs OFF), which should be recorded. Serial scores track response to levodopa, surgery, or other interventions.
Used for
Evidence, psychometrics and provenance
Psychometrics
Reliability on a 0 to 1 scale. Higher is better.
References
This assessment uses a validated instrument and is reference information, not a diagnosis. The MDS-UPDRS is © 2008 the Movement Disorder Society and is used under licence.