Weight loss in the early stage of progressive supranuclear palsy

OBJECTIVES: To clarify whether weight change in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) or progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is caused by the disease itself or secondarily by other factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 51 patients with PD and 14 patients with PSP, especially during the early stage of their diseases. All patients were independent in terms of their activities of daily living and did not have any feeding difficulty. RESULTS: The body mass index measured within 3 years after the disease onset did not show a significant difference between the two diseases. However, the subsequent weight was stable in patients with PD and significantly decreased in patients with PSP. CONCLUSIONS: Weight loss begins in the early stage of PSP, whereas dopaminergic treatment may contribute to keep weight in the early stage of PD through reduction of energy expenditure and/or improvement in appetite.