Huntington disease symptoms

Huntington disease symptoms

Huntington's disease (or HD) is a progressive, inherited, neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and leads to cognitive decline, psychiatric problems and emotional changes.
     The disease is named so because George Huntington was the physician who first described it in 1872. Huntington's disease also used to be known as Huntington's chorea (involuntary writhing movements).
The Huntington`s disease typically appear in mid or adult life but people can start to show the symptoms of Huntington's disease at almost any age.
     If one of your parents has Huntington's disease you have 50% chance of getting the gene for the disease. If so, you will develop the disease at some point in your life and then you can pass it onto your children.

Huntington`s disease - three types of symptoms:

Physical symptoms:

• Involuntary movements (chorea)
• Continual muscular contractions (dystonia)
• Loss of coordination and balance
• Stumbling or falling
• Development of tics
• Muscle rigidity
• Abnormal eye movements
• Slurred speech
• Jaw clenching (bruxism)
• Difficulty swallowing or eating

Cognitive symptoms:

• Difficulty organizing and prioritizing tasks
• Memory decline
• Inertia in thinking
• Inability to carry on a conversation
• Problems with spatial perception
• Poor judgment
• Decreased concentration
• Difficulty in making decisions

Psychiatric symptoms:

• Depression - the most common symptom
• Mania which can lead to overactivity or impulsive behavior
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Bipolar disorder (manic-depression) in some cases
• Psychotic behavior (such as hallucinations or paranoia)
• Anxiety and inappropriate sexual behaviors
• Schizophrenia (rare)

Treatment

There is no cure for Huntington's disease, but people with Huntington can live better if they follow steps as: take supplements, eat healthier, make sport and receive emotional support.
Other treatments may include the following: Dopamine blockers, Amantadine, Tetrabenazine or Coenzyme Q10.

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