The underlying causes of eye movement disorders and ataxia.
Nannan Qian, Chengcheng Lu, Yufei Qian et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
Case in brief
A 54-year-old Chinese woman presented with progressive gait instability and slowed speech, with mild bradykinesia and frequent backward falls. Examination showed supranuclear gaze palsy, hyporeflexia, and cerebellar dysfunction (SARA 26/40). MSA, SCA, and PD were considered; genetic testing excluded SCA, and advanced imaging ruled out other disorders. She met criteria for probable PSP-C. [18F]PM-PBB3 tau PET showed abnormal tau accumulation in the striatum, thalamus, midbrain, and pons, consistent with PSP-C neuropathology.
What made this case unusual
The presentation combined cerebellar ataxia with features that overlap other movement disorders, while tau PET showed a distribution consistent with PSP-C neuropathology.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
In a patient with ataxia and overlapping parkinsonian or gaze abnormalities, PSP-C should be considered; tau PET may help distinguish it from other disorders.
Why it matters
The report adds tau PET imaging evidence for PSP-C in an Asian patient, supporting further consideration of noninvasive tau-targeted imaging in its evaluation.