Natural history and predictors of survival in progressive supranuclear palsy

Progressive supranuclear palsy is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by high functional disability and rapidly progressive dependency. The predictors of survival are still unclear.

The predictors of survival were evaluated in a group of clinically diagnosed PSP patients, focusing primarily on extensive cognitive assessment.

The mean survival time from symptom onset was 8.25±3.0years. Sex, age at onset, education, occupation and severity of extrapyramidal symptoms did not correlate with survival. The only factor associated with a shorter life expectancy in our cohort was the presence of dementia at diagnosis. Impairment of executive functions was the best predictor of an unfavorable outcome.

Our findings suggest that dementia and executive functions need to be evaluated in order to define survival probability in PSP patients.