Recently, I was given a case of a woman who was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy. It was a diagnosis years in the making because, until recently, she was thought to have the condition's more common cousin, Parkinson's Disease. She and her husband had tons of questions related to how I, a physical therapist, might be able to help her. They had worked with therapists in the past and wanted to make sure that I knew not only what the condition was, but that I was able to offer them tools to keep her from falling again.
Because PSP is no household name, I would like to offer a bit of information about the disease over the next few posts. First, here are 5 basic things to know about PSP.
Progressive supranuclear palsy is an uncommon disease, caused by the destruction of cells in the brain that are responsible for movement and thinking.
Signs and symptoms of PSP often mimic those of Parkinson's Disease (PD), which is more common. When symptoms start, many people who actually have PSP are diagnosed with PD.
Symptoms of PSP include rigidity, loss of balance, difficulty moving the eyes (especially upward and downward), slowed thoughts, impaired memory, and impaired speech.
Both the cause and cure of this disease are unknown.
Medical and therapeutic interventions help to improve symptoms and protect patients from injury. However, medications do not have as strong an effect on PSP if any as they do on PD. Non-medical interventions include prism glasses, aerobic exercise, and supervised physical therapy interventions, such as reactive balance training.
References:
National Organization for Rare Disorders. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. Updated 2021. https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/progressive-supranuclear-palsy/#:~:text=According%20to%20some%20reports%2C%20PSP,onset%20at%20about%2063%20years.
Mayo Clinic. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. March 18, 2022. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/progressive-supranuclear-palsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20355659
National Health Service UK. Parkinson's Disease. April 30, 2019. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/parkinsons-disease/#:~:text=It's%20thought%20around%201%20in,get%20Parkinson's%20disease%20than%20women.
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Fact Sheet. Updated April 20, 2021. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/patient-caregiver-education/fact-sheets/progressive-supranuclear-palsy-fact-sheet
CurePSP. https://www.psp.org/
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