What is Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia?

What is Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia?

• Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: A slow-progressing degeneration of the tract that connects the brain to the spinal cord (corticospinal tract) resulting in muscle spasticity, weakness and paralysis. The severity of symptoms is determined by the nature and extent of the damage.

Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, or a subtype of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: Introduction

Types of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia:

Broader types of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia:

• Paraplegia
• Genetic Disease
• Neuromuscular conditions
• Muscle conditions
• Nervous system conditions
• Movement conditions
• Musculoskeletal conditions
• Degenerative conditions
• Lower limb conditions
• Limb conditions
• Genetic conditions
• more types...»

Who gets Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia?

Gender Ratio for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: male predominance

How serious is Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia?

Prognosis of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: the condition is progressive and usually starts in the legs and spreads to other muscles; ultimately leads to confinement to bed
Prognosis of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: The prognosis for individuals with HSP varies greatly. Some cases are seriously disabling while others are less disabling and are compatible with a productive and full life. The majority of individuals with HSP have a normal life expectancy. (Source: excerpt from NINDS Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Information Page: NINDS)

What causes Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia?

Causes of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: see causes of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

What are the symptoms of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia?

Symptoms of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: see symptoms of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Onset of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: early childhood or later

Can anyone else get Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia?

Contagion of genetic conditions: generally not; see details in contagion of genetic diseases.

Inheritance of genetic conditions: see details in inheritance of genetic diseases.

Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: Testing

Diagnostic testing: see tests for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia.

Misdiagnosis: see misdiagnosis and Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia.

How is it treated?

Doctors and Medical Specialists for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: Neurologist ; see also doctors and medical specialists for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia.
Treatments for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: see treatments for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia
Research for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: see research for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Society issues for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Hospitalization statistics for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: The following are statistics from various sources about hospitalizations and Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia:

• 0.0005% (58) of hospital consultant episodes were for hereditary spastic paraplegia in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 83% of hospital consultant episodes for hereditary spastic paraplegia required hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 53% of hospital consultant episodes for hereditary spastic paraplegia were for men in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 47% of hospital consultant episodes for hereditary spastic paraplegia were for women in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 34% of hospital consultant episodes for hereditary spastic paraplegia required emergency hospital admission in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 13.3 days was the mean length of stay in hospitals for hereditary spastic paraplegia in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• 4 days was the median length of stay in hospitals for hereditary spastic paraplegia in England 2002-03 (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03)
• more statistics...»

Organs Affected by Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia:

Organs and body systems related to Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia include:

• Muscles
• Nerves

Name and Aliases of Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Main name of condition: Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

Class of Condition for Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: genetic

HSP, Familial Spastic Paralysis, familial spastic paraplegia, spasmodic infantile paraplegia, spastic congenital paraplegia, spastic spinal familial paralysis, Strumpell familial paraplegia, Strumpell-Lorrain familial spasmodic paraplegia, spastic infantile paralysis, Familial spastic paraparesis, FSP

Spastic paraplegia, familial
Source - Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)

Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia: Related Conditions

Research the causes of these diseases that are similar to, or related to, Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia:

• Familial spastic paraplegia
• Pyramidal tract dysfunction
• Autosomal dominant disorder
• Ataxia
• Mental retardation
• Dementia
• Extrapyramidal signs
• Epilepsy

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