Objective: To explore the clinical correlates of Non-motor symptoms (NMS) in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and their differences from healthy aging and Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), one of common form of neurodegenerative parkinsonism after Parkinson’s disease (PD), is characterized by some motor disturbances, including an early postural instability, backward falls, parkinsonism, and vertical supranuclear gaze palsy, which may result in significant disability and has an impact on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients. As in other neurodegenerative conditions, patients with PSP also display difficulties with cognition and behavioral changes, namely non-motor symptoms (NMS), which has been widely reported in patients with PD. Previous studies found that the NMS in PSP also had an impact on the HRQoL in patients with PSP, indicating that more attention should be taken in the management of PSP.

Methods: Twenty-seven PSP patients, 27 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HC) and other 27 age- and gender-matched PD patients were included for this case-control study. NMS were assessed using the Non-Motor Symptom Scale (NMSS, including 9 domains).

Results: All PSP patients reported NMS. The “Sleep/fatigue” and “Mood/apathy” domains showed the highest proportion (100%). The frequency and severity of “Sleep/fatigue”, “Mood/apathy”, “Attention/memory”, “Gastrointestinal”, “Sexual dysfunction”, and “Miscellaneous” domains in PSP group were significant higher than in HC group (P < 0.05). The frequency of “Mood/apathy”, “Attention/memory”, and “Sexual dysfunction” domains along with the severity of “Attention/memory” and “Gastrointestinal” domains in PSP group were significantly higher than in PD group (P < 0.05). The “Attention/memory” domain in PSP had a significant but weak to moderate correlation with age (R = 0.387, P = 0.046) and onset age (R = 0.406, P = 0.036).

Conclusions: NMS are common in PSP patients. Patients with PSP seem to subject to more frequent and severe specific NMS than healthy aging and PD patients. Older PSP patients and patients with late age of onset are likely to subject to cognitive dysfunction.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/non-motor-symptoms-in-progressive-supranuclear-palsy/