[Progressive supranuclear palsy]

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a distinct clinicopathological syndrome described by Steele, Richardson and Olszewski in 1964. Its clinical features include supranuclear ophthalmoplegia, pseudobulbar palsy, dysarthria, nuchal dystonia, and dementia. The neuropathological changes are characteristic and include cell loss, gliosis, and neurofibrillary degeneration in the basal ganglia, brain stem and cerebellum. But, all these clinical features are not present in the early stage and diagnosis of PSP is sometimes difficult. Atypical presentation of PSP includes the case without ophthalmoplegia, with markedly dementia, or pure akinesia. Pure akinesia presents freezing of gait, handwriting and speech without rigidity or tremor, and can be the initial and early symptom-complex of PSP.