Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Treatment

Currently, there is no effective treatment for progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), although scientists are searching for better ways to manage the disease. In some patients the slowness, stiffness and balance problems may respond to Parkinson's disease medications but the effect is usually temporary. Speech, vision and swallowing difficulties usually do not respond to drug treatments.

Simple lifestyle changes may benefit patients with PSP. For example, patients frequently use weighted walking aids to deter their tendency to fall backwards. Bifocals or special glasses called prisms are sometimes prescribed for PSP patients to remedy their difficulty of looking down. Formal physical therapy has not proven beneficial but certain exercises can be performed to keep the joints limber.

When a patient experiences severe difficulty swallowing and choking is a risk, a surgical procedure called a gastrostomy may be necessary. This surgery involves the placement of a tube through the skin of the abdomen into the intestine for feeding purposes.

Being a caregiver for a PSP patient can be physically and emotionally demanding. Support groups can play an important role in coping with the disease and maintaining quality of life for the patient and caregiver.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.
Last updated May 8, 2007