The Role of Rehabilitation in Patients With Progressive Supranuclear Palsy: A Narrative Review

Publication date: June 2018Source: PM&R, Volume 10, Issue 6Author(s): Domenico Intiso, Michelangelo Bartolo, Andrea Santamato, Filomena Di RienzoAbstractProgressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the deposition of abnormal proteins in neurons of the basal ganglia that limit motor ability, resulting in disability and reduced quality of life. So far, no pharmacologic therapy has been developed, and the treatment remains symptomatic. The aim of the present study is to perform a systematic investigation of the literature, and to determine the types and effects of rehabilitative interventions used for PSP. A search of all studies was conducted in MEDLINE/PubMed, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, and EMBASE. Twelve studies were identified, including 6 case reports, 3 case series, one case-control study, one quasi−randomized trial (i.e. not truly random) with crossover design, and one randomized controlled trial, with 88 patients investigated overall. Rehabilitative interventions varied in type, number, frequency, and duration of sessions. The most commonly used clinical measures were the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Rating Scale (PSPRS) and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Physical exercises were the main rehabilitative strategy but were associated with other interventions and rehabilitative devices, in particular treadmill and robot-assisted gait training. All studies showed an improveme...

Source: PMandR - July 10, 2018 Category: Rehabilitation Source Type: research