What is the Sister Disease to Parkinson’s?
The sister disease to Parkinson’s is Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), a rare and devastating neurological disorder that affects body movements, walking, balance, and eye movements, caused by damage to nerve cells in areas of the brain that control thinking and body movements. PSP is often referred to as a Parkinson’s-plus syndrome due to its similar symptoms, but it progresses much faster, causes more severe symptoms, and has a significantly reduced life expectancy, typically ranging from six to nine years after diagnosis.
Understanding Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)
What are the First Signs of PSP?
Becoming more forgetful and cranky, having unusual emotional outbursts, becoming angry for no real reason, tremors in the hands, trouble controlling eye movements, blurred vision, slurred speech, and trouble swallowing are some of the early signs of PSP.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What is the life expectancy of someone with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy? A: People with PSP typically die six to nine years after their diagnosis, but this can vary, and PSP symptoms increase the risk of developing pneumonia, which can be fatal.
- Q: What disease is similar to Parkinson’s? A: Several conditions can mimic Parkinson’s disease, including Dementia with Lewy bodies, Essential tremor (ET), Viral parkinsonism, Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), Multiple system atrophy (MSA), Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), Arteriosclerotic parkinsonism, and Corticobasal syndrome (CBS).
- Q: Is PSP worse than Parkinson’s? A: Yes, PSP progresses much faster, causes more severe symptoms, responds very poorly to Parkinson’s medication, and has a significantly reduced life expectancy.
- Q: What tests are used to differentiate Parkinson’s disease from other similar conditions? A: Various tests, including physical examinations, medical history, and imaging tests, are used to diagnose and differentiate Parkinson’s disease from other similar conditions, such as PSP.
- Q: Is PSP a form of dementia? A: Yes, Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare condition that causes both dementia and problems with movement.
- Q: What are the 4 stages of PSP? A: The four stages of PSP include the early stage, mid-stage, advanced stage, and end-of-life stage, each with distinct symptoms and progression.
- Q: What is the finger test for Parkinson’s? A: The finger test, also known as the finger-tapping test, is a tool used to assess motor performance in Parkinson’s disease patients, where users tap their fingers 10 times in front of a webcam to evaluate their motor skills.
- Q: How quickly does PSP progress? A: PSP typically begins in a person’s mid- to late-60s and worsens rapidly, with most people developing severe disability within three to five years of symptom onset.
- Q: What is the cousin to Parkinson’s disease? A: Multiple system atrophy- parkinsonian type (MSA-P) is a rare condition that causes symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, but with more widespread damage to the nervous system.
- Q: Does Linda Ronstadt have progressive supranuclear palsy? A: Yes, Linda Ronstadt was initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease but later learned that she actually had a Parkinson’s-like disorder called progressive supranuclear palsy.
- Q: Is PSP a horrible disease? A: Yes, PSP is a devastating disease that causes gradual loss of balance and mobility, speech, and even the ability to swallow, often leading to death as a result of falls or choking.
- Q: What famous people have progressive supranuclear palsy? A: PSP has claimed the lives of actors Robin Williams and Dudley Moore, and billionaire financier Richard Rainwater.
- Q: What’s the most common age for someone to be diagnosed with PSP? A: The condition typically affects people in their late 60s and 70s, and it’s virtually unknown in people under the age of 40.
- Q: Do PSP patients sleep a lot? A: Patients with PSP may have significant sleep pattern disruptions, including insomnia, difficulties with falling and staying asleep, due to the disease’s effect on neural circuitries involved in sleep processing.
- Q: Are PSP patients in pain? A: Yes, pain can be present as a direct result of PSP, or as part of any other conditions that the patient is experiencing, and it’s essential to manage pain effectively to improve the patient’s quality of life.