Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
close window
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffIf one of your parents has Huntington's disease, you have a 50 percent chance of developing the disease. In rare cases, you may develop Huntington's disease without having a family history of the condition. Such an occurrence may be the result of a genetic mutation that happened during your father's sperm development.
References
- Huntington's disease: Hope through research. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/huntington/huntington.htm. Accessed March 24, 2011.
- Rosenblatt A, et al. A physician's guide to the management of Huntington's disease. Huntington's Disease Society of America. http://www.hdsa.org/images/content/1/1/11682.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011.
- Novak MJ, et al. Huntington's disease. British Medical Journal 2010;340:c3109.
- Depression. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/sec07/ch101/ch101b.html. Accessed April 4, 2011.
- Nance M. The juvenile HD handbook: A guide for families. Huntington's Disease Society of America. http://www.hdsa.org/images/content/1/1/11702.pdf. Accessed March 28, 2011.
- Paulsen JS, et al. Critical periods of suicide risk in Huntington's disease. The American Journal of Psychiatry 2005;162:725.
- Frank S, et al. Advances in the pharmacological management of Huntington's disease. Drugs 2010;70:561.
- Suchowersky O. Huntington disease: Management. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 4, 2011.
- Katon W, et al. Initial treatment of depression in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed April 4, 2011.
Find Mayo Clinic on