Progressive supranuclear palsy

Progressive supranuclear palsy care at Mayo Clinic

• Your Mayo Clinic care team. At Mayo Clinic, top specialists trained in neurology, speech pathology and movement disorders work together to diagnose and treat people with progressive supranuclear palsy.
• Advanced diagnosis and treatment. Mayo Clinic specialists have experience identifying speech problems that are a very early feature of progressive supranuclear palsy and distinguishing the condition from other movement disorders, such as Parkinson's disease. Mayo Clinic specialists also use specialized MRI and positron emission tomography (PET) to diagnose progressive supranuclear palsy.
• The latest research. Mayo Clinic researchers are working to improve diagnosis and treatment of progressive supranuclear palsy, including ongoing clinical trials. You have access to the expertise of Mayo's clinician-researchers.

Expertise and rankings

• Clinical experience. Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is very rare, affecting only 5 to 7 people in every 100,000 worldwide. Mayo Clinic doctors treat more than 500 people every year with this condition.

• Research leader. Mayo Clinic researchers are working to improve diagnosis and treatment of PSP.

  Specific efforts involve using special positron emission tomography (PET) scans to map changes in the brains of people with the condition. This can help predict how PSP might progress and helps confirm the diagnosis.

  Biomarkers are another area of interest. These are substances found in body fluids, such as spinal fluid, that can provide valuable clues about the disease process. Researchers also are looking for environmental and genetic factors that may be associated with the condition.

  Mayo Clinic researchers discovered that some people with progressive supranuclear palsy develop speech symptoms, known as apraxia of speech, years before experiencing other symptoms. Speech symptoms may be the first sign of PSP.

  Mayo Clinic researchers also are studying therapeutic targets that could lead to possible future treatments of progressive supranuclear palsy.

  Mayo Clinic's campus in Florida is home to a unique and large brain bank for neurodegenerative conditions. This brain bank allows researchers to study and better understand progressive supranuclear palsy and other neurodegenerative conditions.

Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic in Phoenix/Scottsdale, Arizona, and Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, are ranked among the Best Hospitals for neurology and neurosurgery in the U.S. News & World Report Best Hospitals rankings.

Locations, travel and lodging

Mayo Clinic has major campuses in Phoenix and Scottsdale, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; and Rochester, Minnesota. The Mayo Clinic Health System has dozens of locations in several states.

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Costs and insurance

Mayo Clinic works with hundreds of insurance companies and is an in-network provider for millions of people.

In most cases, Mayo Clinic doesn't require a physician referral. Some insurers require referrals or may have additional requirements for certain medical care. All appointments are prioritized on the basis of medical need.

Learn more about appointments at Mayo Clinic.

Please contact your insurance company to verify medical coverage and to obtain any needed authorization prior to your visit. Often, your insurer's customer service number is printed on the back of your insurance card.