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Updated: Aug 11, 2026
13:02
Sagittal Plane Kinematic Gait Analysis in C57BL/6 Mice Subjected to MOG35-55 Induced Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Published on: November 4, 2017
Primary progressive freezing gait: a syndrome with many causes
Stewart A Factor1, Donald S Higgins, Jiang Qian
1Department of Neurology, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30329, USA. sfactor@emory.edu
Neurology
|February 16, 2006
Summary
Primary progressive freezing gait (PPFG) is a syndrome, not a distinct disorder, with varied causes. Accurate diagnosis requires long-term follow-up and postmortem examination for conditions like pallidonigroluysian degeneration.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroscience
- Pathology
Background:
- Primary progressive freezing gait (PPFG) presents with early gait impairment and a consistent progression pattern.
- Understanding the underlying causes of PPFG is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Observation:
- A longitudinal study followed nine patients with PPFG for 6 to 16 years.
- Two patients received pathological diagnoses: pallidonigroluysian degeneration (PNLD) and diffuse Lewy body disease.
- Four patients clinically evolved into progressive supranuclear palsy and corticobasal degeneration.
Findings:
- PPFG is a clinical syndrome with diverse underlying pathologies, not a distinct disease entity.
- Pallidonigroluysian degeneration (PNLD) may represent a primary cause of PPFG.
- Accurate diagnosis necessitates extended clinical observation (≥10 years) and postmortem confirmation.
Implications:
- The findings challenge the classification of PPFG as a standalone disorder.
- Highlights the importance of comprehensive diagnostic approaches, including long-term monitoring and neuropathology.
- Suggests PNLD as a significant etiological factor in PPFG, warranting further investigation.
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