Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a progressing degenerative disease belonging to the family of tauopathies caused by abnormalities in the microtubule-associated protein, tau. PSP presents with an atypical parkinsonism characterized by progressive axial rigidity, vertical gaze palsy, dysarthria and dysphagia. Although the majority of cases of progressive supranuclear palsy appear to be sporadic, the scarcity of familial cases may lack of recognition of the variable phenotypic expression of PSP. One in every 100,000 Americans over the age of 60 have PSP and patients are usually middle-aged or elderly, and men are affected more often than women.