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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staffHuntington's disease is an inherited disease that causes the progressive breakdown (degeneration) of nerve cells in the brain. Huntington's disease has a broad impact on a person's functional abilities and usually results in movement, thinking (cognitive) and psychiatric disorders.
Most people with Huntington's disease develop signs and symptoms in their 40s or 50s, but the onset of disease may be earlier or later in life. When disease onset begins before age 20, the condition is called juvenile Huntington's disease. Earlier onset often results in a somewhat different presentation of symptoms and faster disease progression.
Medications are available to help manage the symptoms of Huntington's disease, but treatments can't prevent the physical, mental and behavioral decline associated with the condition.
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- Depression. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec07/ch101/ch101b.html. Accessed April 4, 2011.
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- Paulsen JS, et al. Critical periods of suicide risk in Huntington's disease. The American Journal of Psychiatry 2005;162:725.
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