Progressive supranuclear palsy

Progressive supranuclear palsy is detailed in the year 1964 only. Perhaps, this is some times called as the Steele-Richardson-Olszewski syndrome and the persons who worked on this are linked to this name. Yes. This may be a surprise for you.

You need to understand that this disease leads to sudden falling by the concerned persons. Trunk based abnormalities are noticed to a greater extent in addition to the ocular abnormalities in the affected persons.

Parkinsonism and differentiation

Most of the times, the affected persons will have several falls in a year with the stiffness occurring some times. In those situations, even this condition is termed as the atypical parkinsonism.

However, it is noteworthy to mention that in case of Parkinsonism, there may be stooped posture and the tremors. However, in case of progressive supranuclear palsy such tremors and the stooped posture are absent in the affected persons.

Symptoms and signs

The sitting process is highly disturbed in those persons. Further, the persons reveal problems in seeing by moving the eyes up or down. Similarly, over a period of time, the difficulties encountered are even in the movement of eyes from side to side.

The signs are to be looked in details. However many pointed out that the presence of signs pertaining to the presymptomatic hypertension is one of the characteristic feature that is being encountered in the affected persons.

Difficulties in swallowing actions are another problems that are routinely encountered in case of such persons. Hence, the swallowing activity needs to be observed in case of such progressive supranuclear palsy.

In many cases, the initiation of such swallowing activity is disturbed to a greater extent. Mid brain cells are highly affected in case of brain of such persons.Hence, these functions related to the mid brain cells get highly impaired and these all lead to loss in the coordination and the balance of such persons.

Decrease in glucose metabolism occurs resulting in dementia.Hence, the memory is also getting highly affected in case of such persons with supranuclear palsy.

Genetic cause

Many times, genetic causal factor may also be associated in these cases. Autosomal recessive genes are said to be important in the causation of such conditions in some patients.

There may be axial rigidity in which cases, the limbs may be normal but the neck and trunk may be rigid. However, some debate by saying that it is only the neck that shows a marked rigidity. MRI and CT in addition to the blood tests may be of helpful in the proper diagnosis of the case.

Progressive supranuclear palsy is generally progressive in nature as the name indicates. Progressive supranuclear palsy if understood, may be tackled to some extent successfully with yoga etc.

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