Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s Disease Latest News

New treatments for Huntington’s disease could be on the horizon following research led by scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, United States.

About Huntington’s Disease

• It is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that changes brain functioning over time.  
• It is a rare hereditary disorder in which brain cells, or neurons, in certain areas of your brain start to break down. 
  • The destruction of nerve cells happens in the basal ganglia, or the region of your brain that regulates your body’s movements.
  • It also affects the brain cortex (surface of your brain) that regulates your thinking, decision-making, and memory.
• As the neurons degenerate, the disease can lead to emotional disturbances, loss of intellectual abilities, and uncontrolled movements.

‹ ›

What causes Huntington’s Disease?

• A genetic mutation of the HTT gene causes HD. If one of your parents has HD, you have a 50% chance of also developing it.
• The HTT gene makes a protein called huntingtin. The exact function of this protein is not yet known, but researchers believe it plays a role in supporting the function of nerve cells in the brain.  
• If you have HD, your DNA doesn’t have all the information needed to make the huntingtin protein.
• As a result, these proteins grow in an abnormal shape and destroy your neurons.
• Your neurons die because of this genetic mutation.

How common is HD?

HD affects an estimated 3 to 7 out of every 100,000 people, most often people of European ancestry (biological family comes from European descent).

Huntington’s Disease Symptoms

• HD symptoms can begin at any age but usually first appear between the ages of 30 and 50 years. 
• About 5-10% of people have symptoms before age 20 (Juvenile HD) and 10% have onset after age 60 (late onset).  
• Common symptoms include uncontrollable dance-like movements (chorea) and abnormal body postures, as well as problems with behavior, emotion, thinking, and personality.
• Other symptoms may include tremor (unintentional back-and-forth movement in the person’s muscles) and unusual eye movements. The eye movements can happen early in the disease.
• These symptoms get worse over time.
• As HD progresses, you will need constant assistance and supervision because of the debilitating nature of the disease.

Huntington’s Disease Treatment

• There is no cure for HD. 
• Medicines can help manage some of the symptoms, but cannot slow down or stop the disease. 
• People usually die from the disease within 15 to 20 years of developing symptoms.

News: MED