What Is Stiff-Person Syndrome? An Explainer for Celine Dion’s Neurological Disorder

Singer Celine Dion has canceled her world tour abruptly in order to seek treatment for a neurological disorder called Stiff Person Syndrome, or SPS. Dion announced the sad news to fans on Instagram back in May, apologizing to those that had already bought tickets to come and see her in the coming weeks and months. Many wished Dion well and went looking for more information on SPS.

SPS is a rare autoimmune condition with a few major telltale symptoms, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The symptom for which it gets its name is severe muscle spasms – most notably spasms that cause muscles to “lock” and become “stiff as a board” with no control by the patient. Researchers say the disorder typically sets in when patients are in their 40s or 50s. The condition was originally named “stiff man syndrome” but in the years that followed, researchers found it is actually more common among women. It can be managed with medication and treatment, but at the time of this writing, it has no cure.

There are many other symptoms associated with SPS, and an alarming feature of the illness is that these syndromes tend to worsen over time – especially if they are not diagnosed and treated early. Some of the telltale signs can include walking with an unsteady gait, slurred speech, blurred vision, and many different kinds of muscle stiffness or spasm. Patients also consistently report psychological symptoms, particularly anxiety. Because the symptoms can manifest in so many different ways, experts now explain SPS as “a spectrum or disorders, which means it is likely more common than originally thought.”

Researchers believe that SPS is an autoimmune disorder caused when the immune system attacks healthy tissue. They have found that most SPS patients have unique antibodies in their blood created mistakenly by the body, and that they may confuse the nervous system causing spasms. SPS may be associated with other autoimmune disorders including type 1 diabetes, among others.

SPS is diagnosed through blood tests, EMG tests, and imaging studies, and is typically by a neurologist. Treatments may vary as widely as the symptoms, but often includes some physical therapy and occupational therapy as well as medication. Some of the medication will target the immune system while others will help manage the symptoms. These can include muscle relaxers, serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), and painkillers like gabapentin, which also affect the relevant neurotransmitters.

Sadly, Dion will need some time to build these treatments into her routine, meaning her Courage World Tour will be cut short. Her statement to fans read: “I’m so sorry to disappoint all of you once again. I’m working really hard to build back my strength, but touring can be very difficult even when you’re 100%. It’s not fair to you to keep postponing the shows, and even though it breaks my heart, it’s best that we cancel everything now until I’m really ready to be back on stage again. I want you all to know, I’m not giving up… and I can’t wait to see you again!”