Congratulations to Dr. Nikolaus McFarland on the publication of “Language impairment is associated with faster progression in progressive supranuclear palsy-Richardson syndrome,” which appears in the July issue of Alzheimer’s & Dementia.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Cognitive impairment is common but often overlooked due to motor symptoms in progressive supranuclear palsy-Richardson syndrome (PSP-RS). This study investigates whether cognitive deficits predict disease progression in PSP-RS.
METHODS
A total of 146 PSP-RS from the Tilavonemab trial were evaluated at baseline and over 52 weeks using the PSP-Rating Scale (PSPRS), the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), and the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale Part-II (UPDRS-II). Multiple linear regression analyses were performed between the RBANS, UPDRS-II, and the PSPRS change. Clinical scores, gray matter volumes, and neurofilament-light chain (NfL) were compared using analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) and linear mixed models between language score-groups.
RESULTS
Lower RBANS-language at baseline predicted greater PSPRS worsening over time. The low language-score group showed poorer cognitive performance, elevated NfL, and reduced gray matter volume in language-related areas.
DISCUSSION
Speech/language deficits predict worse prognosis in PSP-RS, emphasizing the value of including language scores in clinical trials.