Huntington's Disease
By: Connor Crosby and Jimena Razo
Definition
Huntington's disease is an inherited disease that causes the progressive breakdown (degeneration) of nerve cells in the brain.
Person with HD being taken care of
HD mostly affects the brain.
Lady with HD exercising.
Symptoms of HD
amnesia, delusion, lack of concentration, mental confusion, slowness in activity and thought, or difficulty thinking and understanding
abnormality walking, increased muscle activity, involuntary movements, problems with coordination, loss of muscle, or muscle spasms
compulsive behavior, fidgeting, irritability, or lack of restraint
delirium, depression, hallucination, or paranoia
anxiety, apathy, or mood swings
tremor, weight loss, or impaired voice
What causes Huntington's Disease?
HD is caused by an inherited defect in a single gene.
HD is an autosomal dominant disorder, meaning that a person only needs one copy of the defective gene to develop HD
How a brain with and without HD looks like
This shows two different brains, one with HD and one without.
Top: with HD
Bottom: without HD
What happens to the brain when you have HD?
Huntington's Disease affects someone's ability to think, talk and move by destroying cells in the basal ganglia, the part of the brain that controls these capacities.
Treating Huntington’s Disease Patients