Progressive supranuclear palsy: new concepts

• Author(s): Barsottini,Orlando Graziani Povoas ; Felício,André Carvalho ; Aquino,Camila Catherine Henriques de ; Pedroso,José Luiz
• Date: 2010
• Origin: Oasisbr
• Subject(s): progressive supranuclear palsy; atypical parkinsonism; tauopathy
• Document Type: Journal article
• Language: English

Description

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a distinctive form of neurodegenerative disease which affects the brainstem and basal ganglia. Patients present supranuclear ophthalmoplegia, postural instability and mild dementia. PSP is defined neuropathologically by the accumulation of neurofibrillary tangles in the subthalamic nucleus, pallidum, red nucleus, substantia nigra, striatum, pontine tegmentum, oculomotor nucleus, medulla and dentate nucleus. Over the last decade many lines of investigations have helped refine PSP in many aspects and it is the purpose of this review to help neurologists identify PSP, to better understand its pathophysiology and to provide a more focused, symptom-based treatment approach.