Muscles become stiffer than usual. Tightness in the back and neck may force the victim to stoop. Rigid facial muscles produce a blank, staring appearance. Gestures get jerky. Walking turns into a shuffle.
Falls become likely.
In most people, the muscles in the mouth and throat eventually become involved. Speech becomes soft, indistinct, and monotonous. Victims may stammer, run words together, or repeat the same thing over and over. In the more advanced stages of the disease, memory loss and confusion may set in. Related symptoms include difficulty sleeping, problems swallowing, a tendency to drool, difficulty going to the bathroom, and weight loss.