Symptoms of Huntington disease
Psychosis is probably the most disruptive mental problem in HD. Huntington disease, also known as Huntington’s chorea, is a hereditary, degenerative disorder of the central nervous system. Symptoms don’t usually appear until mid-life (40s or 50s). There is a juvenile-onset form of Huntington’s which affects people younger than 20 years old, but this form is more rare. HD starts slowly but finally results in severe brain damage. People with the disease gradually lose cognitive functions, ability to carry out everyday activities, and ability to respond appropriately to their surroundings. They eventually become completely dependent on others for care. These losses cannot be stopped, but the speed with which they occur varies by person.
Categorised as: General