The Influence of Videography in the Foundation and Future of Movement Disorders

Background The diagnosis of movement disorders relies on identifying the salient phenomenology during clinical examination. Besides a thorough in‐person examination, the clinician may rely on video recording, particularly in cases of transient, fluctuating, or paroxysmal movement disorders. As such, this subspecialty has been profoundly influenced by the advent of and access to film, video, and digital documentation. Objective The aim was to review the historical development of video technology in the field of movement disorders, tracing its origins from early observational methods to its modern‐day applications in telemedicine, clinical research, and neurology education. Methods We conducted interviews with 10 experts in movement disorders, many of whom actively played a role in formalizing movement disorders as a clinical discipline. Results Our understanding of movement disorders was greatly advanced by the adoption of film at first and video later. The growing relative ease of access to videos allowed easy clinical use in the clinic and its display during video rounds and conferences. A session at the American Academy of Neurology led by David Marsden and Stanley Fahn played a particularly pivotal role in formalizing phenomenology and establishing video as a tool. Conclusions The use of patient recordings paralleled the growth of movement disorders as a field as they played a foundational role in the description of phenomenology, formulation of rating scales, and the education of neurologists. The potential of video recordings continues to be realized, most recently through telemedicine and the adoption of machine learning algorithms in research.