Brain Atrophy Does Not Predict Clinical Progression in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • the PASSPORT Study Group, the AL-108-231 Investigators, the Arise Investigators, the Tauros MRI Investigators, the DESCRIBE-PSP group - (Author)
  • Elisabeth Dinter - , German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) - Partner Site Dresden, Department of Neurology (Author)
  • Department of Neurology
  • Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
  • Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
  • Magna Græcia University
  • Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy)
  • University of Gothenburg
  • Lengg Clinic
  • AbbVie
  • German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE)
  • University of Bonn
  • Rostock University Medical Centre
  • Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg
  • University College London

Abstract

Background: Clinical progression rate is the typical primary endpoint measure in progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) clinical trials. Objectives: This longitudinal multicohort study investigated whether baseline clinical severity and regional brain atrophy could predict clinical progression in PSP–Richardson's syndrome (PSP-RS). Methods: PSP-RS patients (n = 309) from the placebo arms of clinical trials (NCT03068468, NCT01110720, NCT02985879, NCT01049399) and DescribePSP cohort were included. We investigated associations of baseline clinical and volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data with 1-year longitudinal PSP rating scale (PSPRS) change. Machine learning (ML) models were tested to predict individual clinical trajectories. Results: PSP-RS patients showed a mean PSPRS score increase of 10.3 points/yr. The frontal lobe volume showed the strongest association with subsequent clinical progression (β: −0.34, P < 0.001). However, ML models did not accurately predict individual progression rates (R2 <0.15). Conclusions: Baseline clinical severity and brain atrophy could not predict individual clinical progression, suggesting no need for MRI-based stratification of patients in future PSP trials.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2517-2530
Number of pages14
JournalMovement disorders
Volume40
Issue number11
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 40884249
ORCID /0000-0002-2387-526X/work/203813165
ORCID /0000-0002-2936-5180/work/203813533

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • atlas-based volumetry, clinical trials, outcome, progression, progressive supranuclear palsy