Handwriting is a complex process, perhaps the most complex skill, which a person acquires as a result of numerous and lengthy trainings. It is not limited to fine motor skills. It is not just a motor activity, but also a cognitive and linguistic one. Handwriting is a complex perceptual-motor skill that differs in many ways from other graphomotor activities, such as drawing or doodling. One of the most obvious differences is, that the language system is involved, which seems to influence different aspects of handwriting.
Handwriting is a combination of cognitive, kinesthetic and perceptual-motor components, including such functions as visual and kinesthetic awareness, motor planning, eye-hand coordination, visual-motor integration, and motor dexterity.
The connection between medicine and handwriting analysis works in two ways. First, health is reflected in many aspects of a person’s appearance and behavior. Such a delicate mechanism as handwriting is very sensitive. It is logical to assume that it is one of the first to react to changes in physical and mental condition. Analysis of handwriting becomes an effective auxiliary tool for physicians. Of course, one cannot diagnose any disease just by handwriting. That must be categorially stated. Any diagnosis has to be made only by a physician by means of medical diagnostic methods. Examination of handwriting markers may help, being an additional sign, especially at early stages of disease, when other kinds of diagnostics are not applied yet, because there is no suspicion of disease yet.
Secondly, handwriting is used as an indicator of effectiveness of a therapy. This relates to the evaluation of effect of known medicines on individual patients and to the testing of new medicines or procedures.
There are many studies on different aspects health and markers of different diseases in handwriting. That relates to neurological, mental and somatic diseases. However, rarely they are done systematically with the analysis of all aspects of handwriting. They deal more with isolated cases. Our aim is to support and promote systematic and in-depth original research and met-analytical studies.
Neurological diseases
- Alzhemer’s
- Parkinson
- Multiple sclerosis
- Epilepsy
Somatic diseases
Emotional problems and mental illness
Vises
- Alcohol abuse
- Drug abuse