Günter Höglinger, MD, PhD is a German neurologist and researcher specializing in movement disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, with a particular focus on progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). He is a Professor of Neurology at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and a leading figure in the international atypical parkinsonism research community[1][2].
His research spans clinical characterization, biomarker development, genetic studies, and therapeutic trials for 4R-tauopathies and other neurodegenerative disorders. Dr. Höglinger has made seminal contributions to the development of modern diagnostic criteria for PSP and the identification of genetic risk factors for atypical parkinsonisms.
Dr. Höglinger's research program encompasses multiple interconnected areas:
He has played a pivotal role in developing contemporary diagnostic criteria for PSP and related disorders[1:1][3]:
His genetic research has identified novel risk factors for PSP[4][@geneticsreview]:
Dr. Höglinger has advanced biomarker research for atypical parkinsonisms[5][6][@biomarkers PSP]:
He has been instrumental in therapeutic development for PSP[7][@clinicaltrials]:
Clinical diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy: The MDS criteria (2017) — Led the development of comprehensive diagnostic criteria incorporating clinical features, imaging biomarkers, and genetic data, establishing the modern standard for PSP diagnosis[1:2].
Advances in progressive supranuclear palsy (2017) — Comprehensive review of diagnostic advances, biomarkers, and therapeutic approaches[3:1].
The Differential Diagnosis and Treatment of Atypical Parkinsonism (2016) — Systematic approach to distinguishing between PSP, CBD, MSA, and PD[8].
Genetic determinants of survival in progressive supranuclear palsy (2021) — GWAS identifying genetic variants affecting disease progression and survival in PSP[4:1].
Genetics of PSP: beyond MAPT (2021) — Review of emerging genetic risk factors beyond the tau gene[@geneticsreview].
Distribution patterns of tau pathology in progressive supranuclear palsy (2020) — Neuropathological study correlating tau distribution with clinical phenotypes[5:1].
MRI measures to track atrophy progression in PSP (2024) — Validation of neuroimaging endpoints for clinical trials[6:1].
Brain atrophy does not predict clinical progression in PSP (2025) — Investigation of the disconnect between imaging and clinical measures[9].
Gosuranemab in PSP: Phase 2 trial (2021) — Clinical trial evaluating anti-tau antibody therapy safety and efficacy[7:1].
Clinical trials in PSP: lessons learned (2022) — Analysis of trial failures and successes to inform future drug development[@clinicaltrials].
| Institution | Role | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Technical University of Munich (TUM) | Professor of Neurology | 2018-Present |
| German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) | Principal Investigator | 2015-Present |
| Munich Cluster for Systems Neurology (SyNergy) | Faculty Member | 2019-Present |
Dr. Höglinger maintains extensive international collaborations:
His educational contributions include:
Current research initiatives include:
Clinical diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy: The movement disorder society criteria. 2017. ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
A biological classification of Parkinson's disease: the SynNeurGe research diagnostic criteria. 2024. ↩︎ ↩︎
Advances in progressive supranuclear palsy: new diagnostic criteria, biomarkers, and therapeutic approaches. 2017. ↩︎ ↩︎
Genetic determinants of survival in progressive supranuclear palsy: a genome-wide association study. 2021. ↩︎ ↩︎
Distribution patterns of tau pathology in progressive supranuclear palsy. 2020. ↩︎ ↩︎
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Measures to Track Atrophy Progression in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy in Clinical Trials. 2024. ↩︎ ↩︎
Safety and efficacy of anti-tau monoclonal antibody gosuranemab in progressive supranuclear palsy: a phase 2, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. 2021. ↩︎ ↩︎
The Differential Diagnosis and Treatment of Atypical Parkinsonism. 2016. ↩︎
Brain Atrophy Does Not Predict Clinical Progression in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. 2025. ↩︎