A condition where one has slow shrinking of brain cells (basal ganglia) due to a protein build up caused by a genetic disorder, one can live with a this condition for many years without symptoms but during sometime in their life this condition will develop, exactly when is unknown.
This can cause also a change in behaviour, emotion, learning and thinking.
It can also affect the nerves in your spinal cord causing problems in movement in daily activities.
Huntington’s disease affects men and women. It usually develops between the ages of 30 and 50, (Adult-onset Huntington disease)) but can start at any age.
If you develop symptoms before the age of 20, this is known as Juvenile Huntington’s disease (Early-onset Huntington disease).
People with the adult-onset form of Huntington’s disease usually live for 15 to 20 years after symptoms begin to appear.
The early-onset form generally progresses at a faster rate. People may live for only 10 to 15 years after the onset of symptoms.
Healthline
Cause
Genetic condition where:
Genetic mutation affecting the HTT gene, leading to production of a toxic form of the huntingtin protein.
There is a genetic/DNA copying error. An area within the gene is copied too many times.
The number of repeated copies tends to increase with each generation.
In general, symptoms of Huntington’s disease show up earlier in people with a larger number of repeats.
The disease also progresses faster as more repeats build up (A lower number usually means that the disease will progress more slowly).
Family history-autosomal recessive disorder (Both parents who are carriers of the recessive genes responsible and can cause a 25% chance of their sibling getting this condition)
If both parents are carriers, a child has a 25 percent chance of inheriting two recessive genes (and getting FMF), a 50 percent chance of getting one dominant and one recessive gene (and becoming a carrier), and a 25 percent chance of getting two dominant genes (and remaining unaffected).
Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice
Detailed Information
Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Huntington Disease in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).
The Pharmaceutical Journal covers analysis, features, opinion, learning and careers articles, providing insight and knowledge about drugs, pharmacy practice, medicines use and healthcare policy in the context of the pharmacy profession and pharmaceutical science.
