Huntington

Disease
Gavin Lazorek

what is Huntington's
Disease
?(HD), also called Huntingtons disease, is a
Huntington disease
rare, incurable genetic disease that results in the progressive
degeneration of both physical and mental abilities.

Causes
A gene located on the chromosome 4 normally contains a
sequence of three nucleotide bases (the alphabet of the
genetic code) that repeats several times.

Risk Factors
Every child of a parent with
HD has a 50/50 chance
of inheriting the
expanded gene that
causes the disease. If the
child has not inherited
this expanded gene, he
or she will never develop
the disease and cannot
pass it on to their
children.

Prevalence Statistics
HD is estimated to occur in the United States at a
rate of 4.18.4 cases per 100,000 people.
In most European countries, prevalence ranges from
1.639.95 per 100,000 people.

Signs and Symptoms

Entire body movement uncoordinated, jerky
movements
Behavioral changes including aggression, paranoia,
and irritability
May seem restless, they might tap their feet and
have odd twitches

Long-Term Consequences
Loss of motor skills
Loss of strength
Trouble with daily tasks

Treatment
There is no cure for HD, nor any treatment that can slow the rate of
progression.
Motor symptoms may be treated with drugs, although some studies
suggest that antichorea treatment rarely improves function
Physical therapy is used to maintain strength and compensate for lost
strength and balance.
Occupational therapy is used to design compensatory strategies for
lost abilities in the activities of daily living, such as eating, dressing,
and grooming.

Prevention
There is no way to prevent HD it is a genetic disease

Citations
Marshall, Liz. "Huntington disease." The Gale Encyclopedia of Science. Ed. K. Lee Lerner
and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner. 5th ed. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2014. Student Resources
in Context. Web. 2 Oct. 2015.