Brain Atrophy Does Not Predict Clinical Progression in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy

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. © 2025 The Author(s). Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Keywords: atlas‐based volumetry; clinical trials; outcome; progression; progressive supranuclear palsy.