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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffComplications of progressive supranuclear palsy result primarily from hindered muscle movements. These complications may include:
- Frequent falling, which can lead to head injuries, fractures and other injuries.
- Difficulty focusing your eyes, which also can lead to injuries.
- Problems with reading, driving a car, or other tasks requiring hand-eye coordination.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Difficulty looking at bright lights.
- Problems swallowing, which can lead to choking or inhaling food or liquid into your airway (aspiration). Aspiration can develop into pneumonia — the most common cause of death in people with progressive supranuclear palsy.
- Impulsive behaviors — for example, standing up without waiting for assistance — which can lead to falls.
Complications from progressive supranuclear palsy may eventually necessitate the use of a feeding tube due to choking hazards. To avoid injuries due to falling, a walker or a wheelchair may also be necessary.
References
- Progressive supranuclear palsy fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/psp/detail_psp.htm. Accessed Dec. 14, 2010.
- Dickson DW, et al. Neuropathology of variants of progressive supranuclear palsy. Current Opinion in Neurology. 2010; 23:394.
- Ropper AH, et al. Degenerative diseases of the nervous system. In: Ropper AH, et al. Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology. 9th ed. New York, N.Y.: The McGraw-Hill Companies; 2009. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=3639296&searchStr=progressive+supranuclear+palsy. Accessed Dec. 14, 2010.
- Hyun JH, et al. Behavioral changes as the earliest clinical manifestation of progressive supranuclear palsy. Journal of Clinical Neurology. 2010;6:148.
- Golbe LI. Progressive supranuclear palsy: Some answers. CurePSP. http://www.psp.org/about. Accessed Dec. 14, 2010.
- Stamelou M, et al. Short-term effects of coenzyme Q10 in progressive supranuclear palsy: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Movement Disorders. 2008;23:942.
- Josephs KA (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 29, 2010.
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