[An autopsy case of progressive supranuclear palsy with central pontine myelinolysis]

An autopsy case of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) associated with central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is reported. A 73-year-old male patient suffered from gait disturbance for about 5 years. The clinical features were characterized by gradual development of supranuclear ophthalmoplegia, tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity, neck dystonia, dementia and pseudobulbar palsy at the advanced stage of his illness. Treatment with levodopa did not improve his neurological signs and symptoms. PSP or multiple system atrophy was considered as a clinical diagnosis of the patient. He died of pneumonia, acute pancreatitis and liver dysfunction in November 1985. The main neuropathological findings were neuronal loss and gliosis with neurofibrillary tangles of globose type in the globus pallidus, subthalamic nucleus, substantia nigra and dentate nucleus, and at the base of the pons, bilateral and symmetrical demyelination was found. In addition, myelin staining revealed circumscribed pallor in the cerebral white matter. The histologic diagnosis was PSP associated with CPM. An association of PSP with CPM is rare in the elderly and possible etiologic factors of both diseases were discussed.