Progressive supranuclear palsy

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Central nervous system

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Progressive supranuclear palsy

Alternative Names:

Dementia-nuchal dystonia; Richardson-Steele-Olszewski syndrome; Palsy - progressive supranuclear

Symptoms:

Repeated falls
Loss of coordination, unsteady gait (walking pattern)
Stiffness and rigid movement in the neck, trunk, arms, legs
Difficulty swallowing
May have a tremor
Pain or difficulty with bending the neck up or down
Slow or stiff movements
Vision difficulty -- unable to look up or down without bending the neck
Changes in facial expression
- "Masking," reduced expression
- Deeply lined face
- Jaw or face jerks or spasms
- Eyes, pupils different size
- Eye movements, uncontrollable
Generalized slowness of all movement (bradykinesia) with strength relatively preserved
Speech difficulties
- Slow speech
- Poor enunciation
- Low voice volume
Dementia, mild
- Forgetfulness
- Slowed thought processes
- Apathy (indifference)
- Difficulty manipulating knowledge
Personality changes, vague and mild

Signs and tests:

A neurological examination may show Parkinsonian movements with typical stiffness and lack of coordination. Dementia is mild. Eye movements are limited, particularly vertical movements. However, vision, hearing, sensation, and voluntary control of movement remain intact.

Tests may be done to rule out other diseases. An MRI might show shrinking of the brainstem.

Review Date: 7/20/2004
Reviewed By: Joseph V. Campellone, M.D., Division of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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