Multiple System Atrophy

Overview

Multiple system atrophy (MSA), one of several Parkinson's plus syndromes, is a rare disorder, although specialists at Mayo Clinic evaluate about 400 MSA patients each year. Patients receive state-of-the-art treatment and can participate in valuable research studies and clinical trials. Mayo Clinic staff have been at the forefront of Parkinson's disease and Parkinson's plus syndrome research.

Diagnosis

Patients with multiple system atrophy eventually develop symptoms of both Parkinson's disease (slowed movement, rigidity) and autonomic dysfunction (problems with blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, sexual function, etc.), but patients often develop one set of symptoms before the other, making diagnosis difficult. Read more about multiple system atrophy diagnosis.

Treatment Options

Multiple system atrophy has no cure. The goal of treatment is to make the patient more comfortable and preserve bodily functions as long as possible. Read more about multiple system atrophy treatment options.

• Treatment in Arizona
• Treatment in Florida
• Treatment in Minnesota

About Multiple System Atrophy

Multiple system atrophy is a progressive, adult-onset disorder which affects many areas of the brain and the associated systems in the body. It involves autonomic dysfunction (dysfunction of systems of the body not under conscious control such as blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, sexual function, etc.), parkinsonism and ataxia (failure of muscular coordination).

Shy-Drager syndrome (named after the two physicians who first described the disease) is an older term for the disease which describes those multiple system atrophy patients with Parkinsonism and autonomic dysfunction.