Huntington Disease

• Scientists are researching about how Huntington’s disease progresses at the molecular level.

ABOUT HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE

• Huntington Disease (HD) is a progressive genetic disorder which affects the brain.
• The patient’s carry a mutated version of a gene called HTT.
• The HTT gene codes for a protein called huntingtin, or Htt.
• Nerve cells in the human body require the Htt protein for their normal functioning and survival.
  • The mutated gene, however, encodes an abnormal Htt protein that instead destroys the neurons that regulate movement, thinking, and memory.
• At first, Huntington’s disease patients have mild symptoms: forgetfulness, loss of balance, and clumsiness in performing simple tasks.
• The symptoms begin in the ages 30-50, by when the patient might also have had children.
• The condition progressively worsens.
• The patient suffers mood swings, has difficulty in reasoning, shows abnormal and uncontrollable jerky movements, and experiences difficulty in speaking, swallowing, and walking. The patient eventually dies.
• There is no cure for the disease.