What is Huntington's Disease? What are the symptoms and treatment methods?

It is a genetic neurodegenerative brain disorder named after Dr. George Huntington, who discovered the disease in 1972. People with this disease have mental retardation as well as movement disorder. It is an autosomal dominant inherited disease. It is a rare disease. The cause of the disease is the mutation of the gene called HTT in the 4th chromosome.

What is Huntington's Disease?

Huntington's disease is a chronic neurodegenerative brain disease. The disease can be seen between the ages of 30-35, as well as at earlier ages. In this disease, nerve cells in the brain are destroyed. It affects states such as movement, behavior, thinking, understanding, learning, remembering, and personality. The disease is not fatal, it affects life negatively. The most common symptom is uncontrollable movement disorder. This situation is called “Kore”. Korea is about performing movements like dancing. Huntington's disease is caused by the expansion of a part of a gene. As a result of this enlargement, loss of brain cells occurs. The more this enlargement repeats itself, the earlier the disease manifests itself. In order for this disease to be seen in children, it is sufficient to inherit a single gene from the parent. A genetic test is done to make the diagnosis.

What Are the Symptoms of Huntington's Disease?

Huntington's disease symptoms can appear at any time. It gives more symptoms in the 30s or 40s. Sometimes it can also be seen at younger ages. If it occurs before age 20, it is called juvenile (juvenile) Huntington's disease. At younger ages, the disease may progress more rapidly and symptoms may be different. It is possible to treat this disease with drugs, but physical and mental, behavioral collapse cannot be prevented. Although symptoms vary from person to person, movement, cognitive and psychiatric disorders are usually seen.

• Involuntary shaking and writhing movements expressed as chorea,
• Muscle problems such as stiffness or muscle contracture,
• Speech and swallowing difficulties
• Loose muscle tone
• Slow and abnormal eye movements
• Difficulty concentrating while doing a job
• Learning disability,
• Depression,
• Irritability, insomnia, fatigue, social withdrawal,
• Obsessive disorder, bipolar disorder,
• Weight loss as the disease progresses,
• Reflex disorder,
• Symptoms such as behavioral disorders, seizures, frequent falls are observed.

What are Huntington's Disease Treatment Methods?

Medicines are generally used in the treatment. These drugs reduce behavioral and psychological impact. While some symptoms disappear with treatment, side effects may occur that worsen other symptoms. Treatment stages should be checked and updated regularly.

Medications containing tetrabenazine and deutetrabenazine are used to control movement. Drugs containing haloperidol and fluphenazine are also used as antipsychotics, but these drugs may increase restlessness and drowsiness even more.

Other drugs for reducing it are amantadine, levetiracetam and clonazepam. Antidepressants are also used. There are also treatment methods without the use of drugs. These; psychotherapy, talk therapy, physical therapy, supervision therapy. Although all these treatments do not completely cure the disease, they reduce the effects of the disease.