Comparative Gait Analysis in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy and Parkinson's Disease

Although changes to gait are an important clinical feature of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), systematic analyses have not been well examined, especially in comparison to Parkinson's disease (PD).

The characteristics of gait in 20 PSP patients (14 males and 6 females) were evaluated in comparison to 124 PD patients (64 males and 60 females) and 24 controls, that is, healthy age-matched adults (5 males and 19 females). Gait in patients was recorded in a 10-m walking test at a self-selected speed. During this time, patients felt most comfortable while wearing a new portable triaxial accelerometer rhythmogram device. Gait variables among the 3 groups were compared.

Both PSP and PD patients shared the following similar hypokinetic gait characteristics: decreased velocity, step length, cadence and mean acceleration. Step time and variability in step time were mutually related. However, among the 3 groups, PSP patients showed characteristically low vertical displacement and a higher acceleration than PD patients at the same cadence.

Although PSP and PD patients showed similar hypokinetic gait, a reduced vertical displacement characterized walking in PSP patients, differing substantially from the characteristics of walking displayed by PD patients.