Treatment of Huntingtons Chorea
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Huntington`s chorea, also known as Huntington`s disease, is a congenital brain disorder, during which nerve cells become damaged and as a result certain parts of the brain are affected. In Huntington's chorea, the whole behaviour and cognitive abilities of a person change, making it impossible for him/her to think and talk properly. Over time, person`s ability to walk and communicate also becomes impaired. According to Huntington's Society of America, only in USA 1 in 10, 000 people is affected by this condition. 30, 000 people overall suffer from this condition in USA with 150, 000 having 50% risk of developing it due to genetic predisposition. It usually starts to first manifest itself after the age of 35. In some people the first signs of this disease appear at 45-50 years of age. It has been proved that all cases of Huntington's chorea are caused by genetic abnormality, during which the abnormal gene overexpresses protein huntingtin in larger amount than necessary. This protein is responsible for motor control, that`s why the first indicator of Huntington`s chorea is an unusual clumsiness and imbalance. Over time, other proteins in the brain also become affected and other parts of the brain become damaged.
- Uncontrollable jerky movements
- Depression
- Mood swings
- Stumbliness
- Slurred speech
- Disorientation
- Genetic testing is vital for the diagnosis of Huntington's chorea, as it can show whether the person has faulty gene, which affected the brain. Modern medicine allows to perform the genetic testing even during the pregnancy (after 11th week), if there is danger of mother or father passing the gene to the child.
- CT scan and MRI create three-dimensional pictures of the brain, which show if the brain structures were affected.
- Conservative treatment, which can alleviate the symptoms and slow down the progression of disease. Unfortunately, there are no treatment options, available nowadays, that would fully cure Huntington's chorea. Such drugs as Xenazine can improve the motion abilities of a person. Genetic testing is also currently performed in the most modern laboratories and scientists are working on the cure of Huntington's chorea.
Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Farrukh Ahmed
