Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

A new disease profile is added to our database – hereditary Spastic Paraplegia (HSP, Strumpell-Lorrain disease). Strumpell first described hereditary forms of spastic paraplegia in 1883. Lorrain later described them more extensively. Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is also called familial spastic paraparesis and Strumpell-Lorrain syndrome. The primary symptom is progressive, often severe, spasticity in the lower extremities. In uncomplicated autosomal dominant HSP after normal gestation, delivery, and early childhood development, subjects develop leg stiffness and gait disturbance (eg, stumbling, tripping) because of difficulty in dorsiflexing the foot and because of weakness in hip flexion. The classic symptom of HSP is progressive difficulty in walking, but the severity varies.  The profile was written by our consultant in neurology – Dr. Pavel Balabanov, MD