Co-morbidity of progressive supranuclear palsy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a clinical-pathological case report

BACKGROUND: The coexistence of distinct neurodegenerative diseases in single cases has recently attracted greater attention. The phenotypic co-occurrence of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has been documented in several cases. That said, the clinicopathological comorbidity of these two diseases has not been demonstrated. CASE PRESENTATION: A 77-year-old man presented with gait disturbance for 2 years, consistent with PSP with progressive gait freezing. At 79 years old, he developed muscle weakness compatible with ALS. The disease duration was 5 years after the onset of PSP and 5 months after the onset of ALS. Neuropathological findings demonstrated the coexistence of PSP and ALS. Immunohistochemical examination confirmed 4-repeat tauopathy, including globose-type neurofibrillary tangles, tufted astrocytes, and oligodendroglial coiled bodies as well as TAR DNA-binding protein 43 kDa pathology in association with upper and lower motor neuron degeneration. Immunoblotting showed hyperphosphorylated full-length 4-repeat tau bands (64 and 68 kDa) and C-terminal fragments (33 kDa), supporting the diagnosis of PSP and excluding other parkinsonian disorders, such as corticobasal degeneration. Genetic studies showed no abnormalities in genes currently known to be related to ALS or PSP. CONCLUSIONS: Our case demonstrates the clinicopathological comorbidity of PSP and ALS in a sporadic patient. The possibility of multiple proteinopathies should be considered when distinct symptoms develop during the disease course. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (10.1186/s12883-019-1402-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.