What are the types of atypical Parkinson's?
Atypical parkinsonism, also called "Parkinson's plus," refers to movement disorders that have symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease but don't improve with typical Parkinson's medications. These conditions involve progressive brain damage and often progress more quickly than Show Full Answer
What are the types of atypical Parkinson's?
Atypical parkinsonism, also called "Parkinson's plus," refers to movement disorders that have symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease but don't improve with typical Parkinson's medications. These conditions involve progressive brain damage and often progress more quickly than Parkinson's disease.
Here are the main types of atypical parkinsonism:
Multiple System Atrophy (MSA)
This rare condition shares motor features with Parkinson's but is more likely to affect the autonomic nervous system, which controls automatic body functions like blood pressure and digestion.
Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)
Key differences from Parkinson's include difficulty focusing the eyes (leading to blurry vision), loss of balance with a tendency to fall backward, and unusual posture.
Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB)
This is the second most common cause of dementia in older adults. Dementia symptoms appear first or around the same time as movement issues. People with DLB may experience inattentiveness, memory loss, visual hallucinations, and usually don't have significant tremor.
Corticobasal Degeneration
The least common type, typically affecting people over 60. Symptoms include slow movement, muscle stiffness, dystonia (unusual body positions), jerky movements of limbs, speech difficulties, and problems with concentration and language.
These conditions often show symptoms on both sides of the body from the start, unlike typical Parkinson's which usually begins on one side.
November 28, 2025
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