Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

UT Southwestern Medical Center offers compassionate care for people with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), providing accurate diagnosis and symptom management based on the latest research.

Our clinicians and researchers are on a mission to make advances in PSP and lessen the burden of this disease for as many patients as possible.

Compassionate Care, Rigorous Research

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a degenerative condition that affects brain functions such as mobility, speech, and cognition. PSP affects 1 in 10,000 people in the U.S. – men and women equally – and most commonly develops after age 60.

Many patients who have PSP are initially misdiagnosed as having Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, or a vascular disease such as a stroke. As symptoms evolve, the condition is more likely to be recognized.

As a regional referral center for a wide range of movement and neurodegenerative disorders, UT Southwestern provides accurate diagnosis and the best available services for PSP patients and their caregivers.

Symptoms of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Symptoms of PSP typically begin between ages 45 to 85. Early symptoms are often attributed to the aging process or misdiagnosed as Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease. Learn more about PSP symptoms. 

Our Services

Specialists at UT Southwestern offer expertise in diagnosing PSP. Learn more about how we accurately diagnose PSP.

While there is no cure for PSP and no treatment that slows the disease’s progression, treatment can relieve some of the symptoms, such as:

• Emotional volatility
  
• Eyelid closure
  
• Fall risk
  
• Insomnia
  
• Motor slowing
  
• Muscle spasms
  
• Swallowing difficulty
  

UT Southwestern physicians and researchers also combat PSP by:

• Collaborating and sharing knowledge with colleagues throughout the country and around the world
  
• Educating patients, families, caregivers, physicians, and the community about PSP
  
• Providing excellent clinical care for people with PSP
  
• Researching cures and symptomatic treatments
  
• Studying the disease process itself 

Research

PSP is less common than Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, which means historically there has been far less research into PSP. Specialists at UT Southwestern are part of a growing community of clinicians and researchers who are investigating treatments to relieve PSP symptoms and improve understanding of the disease itself. Learn more about research into PSP.