RESEARCH PAPER
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy in India: Insights from a Large Multicenter Clinical Cohort (Project PAIR-PSP).
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a rare and devastating tauopathy with limited global data. Given India's large population, genetic diversity, and clinical heterogeneity, large multicenter datasets are crucial to enrich global understanding of PSP.
OBJECTIVE: To characterize the demographic, clinical, and phenotypic profiles of a large multicenter Indian PSP cohort.
METHODS: Subjects fulfilling MDS-PSP criteria were prospectively recruited across movement disorders centers (2021-2025). Standardized demographic and clinical data were collected.
RESULTS: A total of 1035 subjects were enrolled (M:F = 709:326), with a median age of 65 years and a mean onset age of 62.2 ± 7.9 years. Regional distribution reflected pan-Indian recruitment (South 35%, North 26%, West 21%, East 18%). PSP-Richardson's syndrome was most common (41%), followed by PSP-Parkinsonism (18%) and PSP-CBS (11%); rarer phenotypes included PSP-PI (7%), PSP-F (7%), PSP-PGF (5%), PSP-OM (2%), PSP-SL (1%), and PSP-C (1%). Falls occurred earliest in PSP-PGF (13.7 months) and PSP-SL (16.3 months), while PSP-P showed delayed disability (falls at 31 months) indicating progression patterns. Cognitive onset was prominent in PSP-F (21%) and PSP-SL (57%). Levodopa was prescribed to 893 patients; 186 (21%) reported >25% subjective benefit, and 358 (40%) reported ≤25% benefit. Amantadine was used in 351 (34%) patients, with improvement in 177.
CONCLUSION: This largest systematically profiled PSP cohort highlights both shared and distinctive features: high frequency of non-RS variants, aggressive course in PSP-RS/SL, better survival in PSP-P, and limited pharmacological benefit. These findings establish a foundation for longitudinal and genetic studies in diverse populations.