To the Editor:
The month of May has been designated Progressive Supranuclear Palsey (PSP) Awareness Month.
PSP is an uncommon illness striking five to six people in 100,000. The website Medicinenet.com describes it as a "neurologic disorder of unknown origin that gradually destroys cells in many areas of the brain, leading to serious and permanent problems with the control of gait and balance."
The hallmark of the disease is the accumulation of abnormal deposits of the protein tau in the nerve cells of the brain. It has no known cause or cure.
Early symptoms may include loss of balance resulting in a fall or falling backward while sittin gon a bed or bench with no back support; weakness of eyemovements such as the inability to maintain eye contact during conversation; slurred speech; difficulty swallowing, and apathy.
For some, the first symptom is the shuffling of feet, similar to what happens in Parkinson's disease.
Progressive Supranuclear Palsey does not follow a common path of progression. Each person may display different symptoms at different times. Diagnosis may be confirmed by using a simple eye test by a neurologist who specializes in movement disorders. A brain scan is also used.
I am not a physician, but I have learned a great deal about PSP since my husband was diagnosed three years ago. We knew something wasn't right with his walking, but two respected medical centers didn't know what it was. It was only by chance that a neurologist familiar with PSP saw him while he was in the hospital for an unrelated illness.
I would encourage seeking a specialist's help if you feel you or a loved one has been told you don't have Parkinson's disease, but are unable to obtain a diagnosed illness manifesting the symptoms above.
For more information and to support Progressive Supranuclear Palsey research, please visit psp.org.
Sheri Baker
Sycamore