What is
Huntington’s Disease?
Huntington’s disease is an
inherited, progressive disease of the brain and central nervous system. It
causes the cells in the basal ganglia (the central part of the brain) to die.
Many of the brain's messages pass through the basal ganglia. When the cells die
the messages are not passed along properly. Brain cell death eventually affects
every aspect of the person's life. Some people call HD the 3M disease because
it affects mood, movement and memory.
It is also known as a 'disease of families' because it is an inherited
disorder. The disease was once known as Huntington’s chorea because the
involuntary movements of people with the disease were thought to resemble a
dance (the Greek word for dance is 'chorea'). The name was changed to
Huntington’s disease (HD) because not all people with the disease have these
involuntary dance-like movements in the early stages. An American doctor,
George Huntington, described the ailment in an 1872 medical journal.
As yet there is no cure or
prevention for Huntington’s disease. It does not go into remission, but there
are treatments to control some of the symptoms.
Huntington’s disease is
diagnosed by physical, emotional and cognitive (thinking, reasoning and memory)
symptoms and tests. These tests sometimes include brain scans. The final
diagnosis is confirmed with genetic testing.
Death comes not from HD itself
but rather from complications that HD gives rise to such as aspiration
pneumonia, heart failure or infection.
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