Imagining ‘angels in the machine’ that could ease Parkinson’s movements

I recently started listening to the audio version of Paul Davies’ book “The Demon in the Machine: How Hidden Webs of Information Are Solving the Mystery of Life.” Given my experience with Parkinson’s disease, I was prepared to recognize the title character. Instead, I met a surprisingly helpful little fellow.

Maxwell’s demon is a creature from a physics thought experiment. It watches molecules and opens or closes a tiny door, sorting faster ones from slower ones. Its power comes from knowing what is happening and responding at the right moment. The full accounting still obeys the laws of thermodynamics. Even imaginary gatekeepers don’t get a free lunch.

But why call this one a demon? It sounds organized, observant, and useful. I could use someone like that.

Perhaps I’d call mine an angel. And perhaps I’d need more than one.

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Davies explores how living things use information to organize and sustain themselves. Listening, I found myself thinking about the ordinary miracle of movement: all the things that have to cooperate for a person to walk across a room.

As a former basketball official, I find it easier to picture a court. A player moves toward the basket while seeing defenders, hearing teammates, and feeling where the floor meets their shoes. Much of that coordination happens without a running commentary about knees and ankles.

Parkinson’s can make that freedom feel very far away. An intention as simple as “go over there” can become a job requiring supervision. Freezing brings that gap between wanting to move and being able to move into sharp focus.

I would like less responsibility for the mechanics of getting across the room. I have other things to think about when I arrive.

This is where my imaginary angels enter.

One carries a sound. Another offers something to see. A third brings a sensation through touch. I picture them bringing useful information to a movement system that sometimes struggles to get going or keep its rhythm.

There is real science behind part of this picture. Researchers have found that auditory rhythms and visual cues can improve aspects of walking for some people with Parkinson’s. Touch-based cues are also being studied. Responses vary, and combining signals does not automatically make them more effective.

That last point matters. Three angels shouting different instructions would make a terrible rehabilitation team. As a former official, I’m familiar with the limitations of receiving advice from several directions at once.

What interests me is the possibility of signals that cooperate. Could what we hear, see, and feel provide a clearer invitation to move? Could the right combination help movement happen with less conscious supervision?

Those are questions, not conclusions. A better step during cueing does not, by itself, prove that automatic movement has returned.

And I don’t want my angels to become supervisors who insist that I concentrate harder.

Attention can be useful. It can also be expensive. If every step requires a meeting, there isn’t much room left for conversation, curiosity, or noticing the person walking beside me. The hope is for help that eventually asks less of my attention. Whether particular cues can accomplish that, for whom, and under what circumstances requires evidence.

The term “self-organizing” appeals to me, provided we don’t mistake it for “you’re on your own.” Living things depend on their surroundings. In my imagined version, an angel helps create conditions in which the body can do more of the organizing itself.

There are human counterparts, too. A therapist who notices what helps. A companion who leaves enough time. Someone who understands that difficulty moving is not evidence of insufficient determination.

A difficult day does not mean I have failed to listen, believe, or try. No metaphor should add that burden to Parkinson’s.

I’m still near the beginning of Davies’ book, and I don’t know where all his ideas will take me. Already, though, I like having another character to imagine alongside the demon. Several characters, actually. They have different jobs, and I hope they learn to work well together.

My wish for these angels is modest to describe and enormous to experience: Help me walk beside someone and pay attention to the conversation.

I’d like to forget about the angels for a while.

Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.