Huntington's+Disease-+Eleah+Weber

**Huntington's Disease **

Huntington's disease is a degeneration of brain cells (neurons) in certain areas of the brain. It causes uncontrolled movements and emotional disturbance.
 * What is it? **

It is caused by a genetic defect on chromosome #4. It causes a part of DNA to occur many more times than it is supposed to. Normally, the section of DNA is repeated 10 to 35 times. But in Huntington's disease patients, it is repeated 36-120 times. Two Forms: There is no cure. They still don't know a way to stop the disease from getting worse. The goal of the treatment is to slow down the rate at which the disease is killing the patient so they would become more comfortable and possibly live longer. It depends on how far progressed the disease is.
 * Sympt **oms:
 * __First: Behavior __** Changes:
 * Antisocial behavior
 * Hallucinations
 * Moodiness
 * Restlessness or fidgeting
 * __Second: Abnormal Movements __**:
 * Head turning to shift eye position
 * Slow uncontrolled movements
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Quick, sudden movements of body parts (arms, legs, face)
 * __<span style="color: #ea34d8; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Dementia that slowly gets worse: __**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Speech changes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Loss of memory
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Personality changes
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Loss of judgment
 * __<span style="color: #e7ac46; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Any Additional Symptoms: __**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Anxiety, stress, and tension
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Speech impairment
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Difficulty swallowing
 * __<span style="color: #ee2b7d; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Symptoms in Children __**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Rigidity
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Slow movements
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Tremor (involuntary shaking of the body)
 * __<span style="color: blue; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Causes: __**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Adult-onset Huntington's disease (most common)
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">- develop symptoms in their mid 30's and 40's
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Early-onset Huntington’s disease
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">-Begins in early childhood or adolescence
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">- Symptoms are similar to Parkinson's disease: rigidity, slow movements and tremor.
 * __<span style="color: lime; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Treatment: __**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">
 * __<span style="color: #20d597; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Medication __**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Dopamine blockers- reduce abnormal behaviors and movements.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Haloperidol, tetrabenazine, and amantadine- drugs used to control the extra movements

<span style="color: #1700ff; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> If one of the parents has Huntington's disease, they have a 50% chance of getting the gene. If they do get the gene, then they will develop the disease some point in their life while it can be passed onto their children. If they don't get the disease then they can't pass it onto their children. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> People that are diagnosed with Huntington's disease usually die within 15 to 20 years. Mostly due to infection, but suicide is also common .

"Huntington's disease." A.D.A.M. 29 March 2010.[|<https://health.google.com/health/ref/Huntington's+disease]>. "NINDS Huntington's Disease Information Page." NINDS 15 March 2010. 29 March 2010. [|www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/huntington]

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