Lack of autonomic nervous dysfunction in progressive supranuclear palsy, astudy of blood pressure variability

Blood pressure and heart rate variability were analyzed in eight patients w ith progressive supranuclear palsy in comparison with two control groups (1 0 healthy patients and 10 patients with multiple system atrophy). Blood pre ssure and heart rate were recorded using digital photoplethysmography with the patient in supine position and during a head-up-tilt test (70 degrees f or 10 minutes). Spectral analysis was performed using fast Fourier transfor mation for 512 consecutive systolic blood pressure and heart rate values. T he head-up-tilt test induced a significant increase in systolic blood press ure in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy and in healthy patients and a significant systolic blood pressure decrease in patients with multip le system atrophy. During the head-up-tilt test, low-frequency energy of sy stolic blood pressure (70-130 mHz) that reflected baroreflex-dependent symp athetic tone also increased in patients with progressive supranuclear palsy and in healthy patients. By contrast, in patients with multiple system atr ophy, the low-frequency energy of systolic blood pressure decreased signiti cantly. The changes observed in the low-frequency band and the high-frequen cy band of heart rate (reflecting parasympathetic drive to the heart) were not different among the three groups. These data show the lack of impairmen t in autonomic nervous system activity in patients with progressive supranu clear palsy.