An Unusual Presentation of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Abstract

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a neurodegenerative disorder with varied manifestations. Progressive gait freezing (PGF) is considered to be a rare and uncommon presentation of PSP. Here we present 2 patients with freezing of gait as the initial manifestation of PSP-PGF. One patient fulfilled the criteria of PSP-PGF, while the second did not. Nevertheless, according to the movement disorders society-PSP criteria, he met the threshold for possible PSP with progressive gait freezing. We emphasize a broad PSP-PGF spectrum of symptoms and sensitize to the fact that freezing of backward gait could indeed represent an unusual manifestation of atypical parkinsonism.

Keywords: Freezing of gait; progressive supranuclear palsy; pure akinesia.