Disorders of the Nervous System: Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s Disease is a brain disorder affecting movement, cognition, and emotions (Schoenstadt). It is a genetic disorder generally affecting people in their middle 30s and 40s (Sheth). Worldwide, Huntington’s disease (affects between 3-7 per 100,000 people of European ancestry (Schoenstadt). In the United States alone, 1 in every 30,000 people has Huntington’s disease (Genetic Learning Center). Huntington’s Disease is a multi-faceted disease, with a complex inheritance pattern and a wide range of symptoms. There is also much research being done in the field of Huntington’s disease, because as of 2012, this disease is untreatable. THESIS.

Huntington's disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder. It is passed on to children from one or both parents (though two parents with Huntington's is extraordinarily rare) in an autosomal dominant manner. This is different from autosomal recessive disorder, which requires two altered genes (one from each parent) to inherit the disorder.

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.

Huntington's Disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder (Walker, 2007 and Harmon, 2007). The gene that causes the disease is located on the fourth chromosome and causes an abnormal number of repeats in the patient's genetic code (Harmon, 2007). Huntington's Disease can have devastating effects on patients' quality of life. The first symptoms of HD generally start between the ages of 30 and 45 and patients are typically asymptomatic prior to this time (Terrenoire, 1992 and Walker, 2007). However, the disease progresses with subtle changes in motor control, personality, and cognition. Patients eventually develop distinct

Huntington's Disease is a devastating and progressive neurological disorder that resu lts primarily from degeneration of nerve cells deep in the center of the brain. The condition was first described by George Huntington, a physician in New York, in 1872. Even then, the physician recognized the all-encompassing factors of the disorder when describing it as, "coming on gradually but surely, increasing by degrees, and often occupying years in its development until the hapless sufferer is but a quivering wreck of his former self".

3. “Huntington's Disease.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 13 June 2017, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/huntingtons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20356117.

Huntington’s disease is caused by a mutation in the gene for a protein called Huntingtin. The genetic mutation results in the building blocks of DNA (cytosine, adenine, and guanine) to be replicated many more times than in an average individual. As a result, Huntington’s disease breaks down brain cells, or neurons, specifically located in the primary motor cortex regions of the brain, but can effect other brain areas

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

Since Huntington’s Disease is autosomal dominant, there is a 50/50 chance of passing the faulty gene onto a child (Learning About…). If a woman knows that risk beforehand, she could decide to adopt a child instead of risking bringing life to a child with a fatal illness. Huntington’s Disease has no cure, which makes it all the more important that adolescents be tested (What Is…). That way, people can decide if they would be willing to participate in studies or trials to help scientists gather research for a cure. The more people with currently healthy brains that participate in studies, the better the quality of research that will be

Huntington’s Disease is a genetic disorder characterized by the arrival of symptoms late in life, usually in the 30s or 40s. It is an autosomal dominant disorder, which includes nerve cells breaking down in the brain. There are both movement and cognitive symptoms related to this disease. Some movement symptoms are unintentional jolting, delayed eye movements, and a compromised manner of walking. Some cognitive symptoms are trouble organizing responsibilities, a deficiency of cognizance of one’s own actions and capabilities, and a difficulty in understanding fresh material. There are also psychiatric disorders associated with Huntington’s disease: depression, obsessive compulsion disorder, and mania. Huntington’s disease results from a mutation

Huntington 's Disease (HD) is a progressive brain disorder caused by a defective gene. This disease causes changes in the central area of the brain, which affect movement, mood and thinking skills. Nerve cells become impaired, causing several segments of the brain to fail. The disease disturbs movement, behavior and perception the affected people abilities to walk, think, reason and talk are slowly weakened to a point that they eventually become entirely dependent on other people for care. HD is a disease that affects the brain in many different ways. One of the ways the HD affects the brain is that it causes the person who has it to become forgetful and moody. Huntington 's disease also causes a decline in thinking and reasoning skills, including memory, concentration, judgment and ability to plan and organize.

To this day, I have yet to meet another person with Huntington disease but I since then I have been intrigued by the disorder. The goal of this paper is to provide

Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative hereditary condition which causes problems in muscle coordination, behavioral symptoms and leads mental deterioration (Hammond and Tatum 2010). Symptom varies among persons of same family. The most punctual side effects are frequently unpretentious issues with state of mind or insight.

Huntington’s disease is a progressive, degenerative disease like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is characterized by tremors, uncontrolled movements, emotional issues, and cognitive problems or loss of the ability to think properly. The mutation of the huntingtin protein causes brain cell death that directly influences mood changes and mental problems. Diagnosis of HD uses different methods to determine HD symptoms and mutation of the relevant protein.

Testing for Huntington’s Disease is a very personal choice because there is no known cure for the disease, and it is fatal. Many people would like to know if they will someday develop the disease; while others do not wish to live knowing they will eventually succumb to their disease. Children under the age of 18 are generally prohibited from being tested for genetic disorders. Women that are pregnant, and wish to undergo testing may do so with either a chorionic villus biopsy, or an amniocentesis.