Huntingtons

Huntingtons

What Is Huntingtons Disease (HD)?

It's a disorder that is inherited and it is not contagious. Most of the people that get diagnosed with HD is because it inherited by a parent that is also diagnosed with HD. If a parent has HD it is 50% that child will get it as well. A person only needs to inherit one copy of the mutated "huntingtin" gene to develop the disease. In western Europe 1 out of 20,000 people are are born with the "huntingtin". This is less common in Asia and Africa, where about 1 in a million are born with the gene. If the normal size of the "huntingtin" gene increases then that produces abnormal protein that starts to kill brain cells when a person is middle age (<40), and eventually as the gene kills brain cells it will eventually results to death. This gene mutated because it is inserted.



What are some symptoms/causes for HD?

HD usually starts with mood swings, depression, memory loss, and uncontrollable movement. As the disease progresses walking and talking become more difficult and also memory and intellectual continue to decrease. HD usually starts at the age of a persons late 20's and it really kicks at a persons early 40's, and its most likely that the female is diagnosed with HD.

Documentary on Huntington's Disease [|Documentary]

Are there Any Cures for HD?

No cures can totally alter the path of the disease but drugs can slow down the disease from increasing, and also another good healing are interventions because that will help the person to adapt to the changes in hiss her abilities for a certain amount of time.

History of HD

This disease is recognized ever since the Middle Ages, and back then the causes were unknown until fairly recent. Throughout the years HD and many different names and as understanding of the disease as well. Originally the disease was called "chorea" for the jerky dance like movements associated with the disease. It was also know as hereditary chorea and chronic progressive chorea. In 1872 was the fist explanation for the disease and came from the man called George Huntington as he was examining many tests and generations of families diagnosed with the disease.