The Natural History of the Syndrome of Primary Progressive Freezing Gait

Abstract

Primary progressive freezing gait appears to be a clinically distinct progressive neurological disorder that primarily affects gait, initially resulting in freezing and later in postural instability. A wheelchair-bound state often develops within 5 years. It is accompanied by other parkinsonian features, particularly bradykinesia, but is unresponsive to dopaminergic medications. It progresses in a fairly stereotyped manner. Primary progressive freezing gait disorder should be a unifying term for this disorder that has gone by many names in the literature and should be classified as a Parkinson-plus disorder.

Pure akinesia with gait freezing: A third clinical phenotype of progressive supranuclear palsy

“…Supranuclear gaze paresis and blepharospasm were late and inconsistent features. Similar to other reports, death occurred more than a decade after disease onset by which time some patients have developed additional upper limb bradykinesia and swallowing problems 4, 6, 7, 12, 13…”

Pure akinesia with gait freezing: A third clinical phenotype of progressive supranuclear palsy

“…Supranuclear gaze paresis and blepharospasm were late and inconsistent features. Similar to other reports, death occurred more than a decade after disease onset by which time some patients have developed additional upper limb bradykinesia and swallowing problems 4, 6, 7, 12, 13…”

Degeneration of corticofugal fibers in a patient with primary progressive freezing gait

“…The pathogenic mechanism of the occurrence of PPFG has been reported to be the result of atrophy or degeneration in the brain cortex or subcortex. [1,2,4–6] Likewise, damage of the CFT from the left SMA in our patient seems to be associated with degenerative processes.…”

Treatment of Gait Ignition Failure with Ropinirole

“…Although many previous reports of GIF have been associated with parkinsonian syndromes[ 1 , 2 ], our patient has not developed any other parkinsonian signs after one year of follow-up, and we suspect that the GIF is causally related to his anoxic brain damage.…”

Pure akinesia with gait freezing: A third clinical phenotype of progressive supranuclear palsy

“…Supranuclear gaze paresis and blepharospasm were late and inconsistent features. Similar to other reports, death occurred more than a decade after disease onset by which time some patients have developed additional upper limb bradykinesia and swallowing problems 4, 6, 7, 12, 13…”

Degeneration of corticofugal fibers in a patient with primary progressive freezing gait

“…The pathogenic mechanism of the occurrence of PPFG has been reported to be the result of atrophy or degeneration in the brain cortex or subcortex. [1,2,4–6] Likewise, damage of the CFT from the left SMA in our patient seems to be associated with degenerative processes.…”

Treatment of Gait Ignition Failure with Ropinirole

“…Although many previous reports of GIF have been associated with parkinsonian syndromes[ 1 , 2 ], our patient has not developed any other parkinsonian signs after one year of follow-up, and we suspect that the GIF is causally related to his anoxic brain damage.…”

Pure akinesia with gait freezing: A third clinical phenotype of progressive supranuclear palsy

“…Supranuclear gaze paresis and blepharospasm were late and inconsistent features. Similar to other reports, death occurred more than a decade after disease onset by which time some patients have developed additional upper limb bradykinesia and swallowing problems 4, 6, 7, 12, 13…”

Degeneration of corticofugal fibers in a patient with primary progressive freezing gait

“…The pathogenic mechanism of the occurrence of PPFG has been reported to be the result of atrophy or degeneration in the brain cortex or subcortex. [1,2,4–6] Likewise, damage of the CFT from the left SMA in our patient seems to be associated with degenerative processes.…”

Treatment of Gait Ignition Failure with Ropinirole

“…Although many previous reports of GIF have been associated with parkinsonian syndromes[ 1 , 2 ], our patient has not developed any other parkinsonian signs after one year of follow-up, and we suspect that the GIF is causally related to his anoxic brain damage.…”