Risk Factors for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)

This proposal will determine: (1) if there is an association between PSP and specific genes
of interest; (2) if there is an association between PSP and occupational and/or
environmental chemical exposures functionally or structurally similar to known parkinsonian
toxicants; and (3) if hypertension or traumatic brain injury prior to symptom-onset is
associated with PSP. To disentangle the complex etiology of PSP, this case-control
multicenter study involves 500 PSP cases, 500 age/gender matched primary controls, and 500
secondary controls for genetic confirmation. Understanding the etiology of PSP may also
help explain the causes of other related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. This
multidisciplinary team of movement disorder specialists, epidemiologists, geneticists,
biostatisticians, industrial hygienist and toxicologist is well suited to unravel the
etiology of PSP.

Inclusion Criteria:

- PSP patients able to visit one of the screening sites for diagnostic confirmation and
able to participate in a one hour telephone interview

Exclusion Criteria:

- No other major neurological disorders

- Unable to communicate by telephone