Chorea Case Studies

George Huntington first described Huntington’s disease in 1872, but it was only mentioned to the

The panic settles in again as my stomach feels like it is twisting in on itself. I do not have any questions left. I can only use the evidence. I grab his MRI on the table and stare furiously at it. Every nook and crevice of the brain must be examined. I cannot miss anything. I have one minute left.

This disease can cause problems with one's vision, muscle control, balance, and other essential body functions. Up until the age twenty-eight,

Huntington's Disease is a genetic autosomal disorder which effects the brain. It affects about 1 in 20,000 individuals. The symptoms of the disease do not start to occur until after or around 40 years of age. With the onset of the disease the patient starts to gradually deteriorate intellectually, this deterioration also causes involuntary movements. Scientists have only recently found the section of the gene which causes Huntington's disease, and this is allowed them to devise pre-symptomatic tests. However, a cure for the disease is yet to be found.

First, I am not ready to know the future. It may be true that knowing the generic results could help to plan the future like long -term finances, getting married, and having a baby. However, having the test will be interrupt my life, and my mind will be thinking about it all the time. I will not be happy, and I will just waiting for the moment to come. Knowing if the result is positive will be a nightmare, so I prefer to enjoy the life. In the article “Closing the Lion’s Mount: Knowledge and Huntington’s disease”, author Sandra Kostyk quotes a woman who has Huntington 's Disease

Some mild cases may even go unnoticed (Parker 20). Severe cases may include: loss of consciousness for minutes/hours, minimum coordination, slurred speech, seizures, dilation in the eyes, and unusual behavior. These cases may potentially be long-term or even forever (Bellamy 30).

Huntington’s disease destroys the organs that carry the functions of the central nervous system. Kalat (2013) states, “Huntington disease (also known as Huntington disease or Huntington’s Chorea) is a severe neurological disorder that strikes about 1 person in 10,000 in the United States” (A.B. Young, 1995, p. 258).Individual’s develop the symptoms in their middle age, but even if it is a rare disorders juveniles as well as children before the age of ten can develop the disease. Huntington’s disease is hereditary disease that is passed on from a parent. Huntington’s disease is of the lack of the chromosome 4, if one of the parents carries the gene, they can pass that gene to their

Davis recognizes in the first part of the chapter that there are both advantages and disadvantages to having children tested in order to assess their carrier status. She articulates that when working with a disease like Huntington’s Disease, which is dominant so you only need to be carrying one copy of the gene in order to be affected, the cons of knowing your fate far outweigh the pros. Presymptomatic testing leads to a spiral of possible “over-testing”, depression, difficulty obtaining health care, and even “survivor guilt” for those who do not carry the disease. Yet, those who have gotten test atest to the fact that they are able to plan ahead for their future and evaluate their reproductive choices with more certainty.

Susan is a young professional who just had her personal genome sequenced. She now knows she carries the gene for Huntington’s disease. She is agonizing over the decision about sharing this information with others. She doesn’t know what to do or who to tell. So she goes to a doctor to get his opinion on if it would be right or not to let her family or boyfriend know. While she is waiting in the waiting room she is imagining how her life would be if she had Huntington’s disease. What type of burden she would be on peoples their opinions about her. Her family would not be able to leave because they would constantly have to take care of her whether that be her hopefully husband or another family member. When she goes to any event in public she will make a scene or outburst and how they all will judge her about her condition. Susan starts to hypervinalate in the waiting room as all these scenarios run uncontroably through her head.

Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant disorder, which is found on the # 4 chromosome. George Huntington discovered it in 1872. It mainly has an effect on the nervous system. There are around 210,000 bases between D4S180 and D4S127. The disease itself is found in 2% of people in their childhood, and in 5% of the people they were older then 60. (Miller p 16) In the majority of the affected people the disease is detected between the ages of 35-45. In males the disease begins around the time of their childhood. However, in females it begins later in life. This severe symptom has a tendency for the condition to worsen as it is passed on from generation to generation. Huntington’s disease is paternally

The next disease being discussed, Huntington’s Disease, is a hereditary progressive neurodegenerative disorder that can affect the psyche, emotions, and behavior. However, it is most commonly known for the loss of cognitive functioning as well as motor disturbances (Leffler, 2011). Usually the initial signs of Huntington’s Disease starts with jerky movements that can affect various parts of the body (face, arms, legs, etc.) as well as the gradual beginnings of dementia; the memory is usually impaired. There also may be disorientation, or disillusioned ideas of time, place or identity, as well as personality changes and possible increased agitation. Common neurobehavioral changes include: a tendency to blame others for one’s faults, suspiciousness, impulsiveness, constant complaining, lack of self-control, and lack of

Doctor George Huntington a young American who complete is Doctor Degree in1872 addition, written about Huntington disease which the illness. Huntington disease, a rare abnormal hereditary condition of the brain and mental deterioration as result to dementia that also called "an heirloom early generation. Doctor George Huntington was not the first to describe the disorder, at the time it calls chorea, which, as in "management is the Greek word for dance. The term chorea describes how people are struggling with the disorder. And turn in a constant, uncontrollable dance-like motion. Later, other descriptive names evolved. "Chronic progressive chorea" stresses how symptoms of the disease worsen over time. Today, physicians

Symptoms of Huntington’s disease typically become noticeable between the ages of 35 and 44 years. In the early stages of the onset of the disease, the physical symptoms are usually the first to be recognized and the onset, progression, and extent of the cognitive and behavioral symptoms vary between patients. The most characteristic initial physical symptoms are involuntary, quick, irregular jerking movements, which is called chorea. Chorea may be initially exhibited as general restlessness, lack of coordination, or unintentionally initiated motions. Normally, chorea precedes other signs of motor dysfunction by at least three years. The more severe motor abnormality, dystonic posturing, commonly appear as the disease progresses and are clear

Huntington 's chorea, commonly referred to as Huntington’s disease is an utterly devastating diagnosis for not only the patient affected directly with the disease but also for their biological children. Huntington’s disease is an inherited genetic disorder which causes the death of brain cells resulting in physical and mental abnormalities that worsen over time until certain death. As if that were not bad enough, the off spring of Huntington’s disease affected patients have a 50% chance of inheriting the gene. (Mayo Clinic, 2014) Genetic testing is the only way to diagnose this disease. (PubMed: Predictive testing, 1976) Testing positive for the gene presents moral and ethical dilemmas for those people.

Many people who know that their parents may have given them the HD gene see no good coming from knowing that they will someday have all the problems that come along with HD. Others see it as an opportunity to end uncertainty and to make plans for their future. Testing sometimes brings psychological and social challenges, as people begin to worry about their future, but it can also bring relief to uncertainty, and that’s what makes it such a difficult decision for some people. Some of the disadvantages of HD testing is the process itself. Many people report that the amount of time it takes to get results is very nerve-wracking, and it makes them nervous about the results. In addition, it makes people live very anxious lives, if they come back positive, as they will constantly be wondering when the HD symptoms will strike and start becoming an issue for them. According to Huntington’s Disease Drug Works, there are many different discrimination events that occurred after people found out they were positive, some even negative. These included personal, insurance, employment, transactional, and cumulative burden events of discrimination (Goodman). However, there are many good and positive things that can come along with the testing. For example, it allows the person to know what their