Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) is a rare neurological disorder that affects the brain stem and basal ganglia and is believed to be caused by the gradual degeneration of nerve cells in these areas. Primarily, it causes a person to lose balance and mobility, along with changes in speech and vision. The most common symptom associated with PSP is impaired balance and difficulty walking. People affected by this disorder may also experience difficulty in controlling eye movement, which can cause double vision, difficulty with swallowing, depression, and cognitive impairments. PSP is thought to occur in individuals over the age of fifty as a result of alpha-synuclein accumulation, primarily in anterior horn cells and corticospinal neurons. It is believed that toxic levels of alpha-synuclein in these areas triggers a cascade of events leading to the death of neurons, resulting in a loss of balance and mobility. There is no cure for the disorder and treatments are primarily aimed at reducing the progression of the disease. Medications like anticholinergics, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and memantine have been known to help treat the symptoms of PSP. Physical therapy has been found to be beneficial in helping to improve balance and mobility. Exercises like standing on one foot or walking with a cane can be helpful in maintaining balance and helping to prevent falls. Speech therapy is also beneficial in helping to improve motor function and reduce dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing. Treatments like deep brain stimulation and surgery may be beneficial in some cases, but there is still not enough scientific evidence to recommend either as a reliable treatment. Furthermore, research on the causes of the disorder are ongoing, however, there is still a lack of understanding as to why and how this disorder arises.