Impaired social functioning is a key feature of Huntington's disease (HD). In addition to motor limitations that prevent social participation (e.g., fall risk, driving cessation), personality changes caused by cognitive and psychiatric decline alter social functioning capacity in people with HD.
People living with HD develop uncontrollable dance-like movements (chorea) and abnormal body postures, as well as problems with behavior, emotion, thinking, and personality. For example, uncontrolled movements in the person's fingers, feet, face, or torso.
Early symptoms
memory lapses. depression – including low mood, a lack of interest in things, and feelings of hopelessness. stumbling and clumsiness. mood swings, such as irritability or aggressive behaviour.
The movement disorders associated with Huntington's disease can include both involuntary movement problems and impairments in voluntary movements, such as: Involuntary jerking or writhing movements (chorea) Muscle problems, such as rigidity or muscle contracture (dystonia) Slow or unusual eye movements.
Some of the suggestions I have for living with HD are: Keep life simple - Rest, Exercise, Nutrition, A daily laugh Carry earplugs with you when you are out (Some people with HD are sensitive to noise) Carry calendars with you to write down everything you must do for the day and any information you get from other people.
About Huntington's Disease
Motor issues often include involuntary movements, difficulty with speech and swallowing, lack of coordination, and fatigue and weakness. Many cognitive functions become limited, such as memory, decision making, critical thinking, multitasking and concentration.
Some of the most common changes in speech due to Huntington's Disease are slurred words, loss of control of the volume of speech, hoarseness of the voice, or improper pauses when speaking. In these cases, speech therapy can be an incredibly valuable resource for supporting someone affected by Huntington's disease.
Huntington's disease also causes a decline in thinking and reasoning skills, including memory, concentration, judgment, and ability to plan and organize. Huntington's disease brain changes lead to alterations in mood, especially depression, anxiety, and uncharacteristic anger and irritability.
HD is associated with a wide range of psychiatric disturbances, including affective disorders,1,2,3 irritability,4,5,6 apathy1,3,6 and psychosis. Both major depression1,2,4,9 and more subtle mood disturbances10 have been reported to predate clinical onset, conventionally defined by onset of motor symptoms.
Early in the disease, cognitive decline may manifest as memory and learning difficulties, judgment impairment, and trouble with driving, answering questions or making decisions. As the disease progresses, concentration and focus on intellectual tasks become increasingly difficult.
However, almost all people with HD will manifest disease-specific personality and behavioral changes as part of what might be termed a hypofrontal or dysexecutive syndrome, characterized by apathy, irritability, impulsivity, and obsessionality, with potentially severe consequences for the HD person's marital, social, ...
There is no cure for the disease, and there is a high rate of neuropsychiatric symptoms including depression, and aggressive behavior.
Although not directly related to HD, stress is nevertheless related to the progression of the disease because it adds to the neurodegeneration that is already taking place. Chronic stress can alter nerve cells, brain structure, and brain function.
When alcohol becomes a coping mechanism for Huntington's disease, that's when it becomes a problem. “With any neurodegenerative or medical disease, drinking a lot can certainly affect your balance and your gait,” says Dr. Oguh.
Those who have Huntington's disease may commit suicide. Some people just cannot fathom living a life where they are unable to use all of their brain power, while others may have mental conditions, such as depression, that can lead to their suicide. It is said that about 5-12 percent of patients may commit suicide.
Anxiety can occur in each clinical stage of HD, including the prodromal stage (before the motor diagnosis). With disease progression, it may manifest as restlessness due to difficulty in verbally communicating distress.
Clustering of neuropsychiatric phenotypes such as depression in some HD families may indicate a biological predisposition to the disorder. These families may have a genetic background that increases the risk of developing depression in conjunction with the HD mutation.
Memory problems are a frequently reported symptom of HD. Individuals with the disease will have difficulty learning new information and retrieving previously learned information [50–52].
Adult-onset Huntington disease, the most common form of this disorder, usually appears in a person's thirties or forties. Early signs and symptoms can include irritability, depression, small involuntary movements, poor coordination, and trouble learning new information or making decisions.
HD affects the whole brain, but certain areas are more vulnerable than others. Pictured above in blue is the striatum – an area deep in the brain that plays a key role in movement, mood, and behavior control. The striatum is the part of the brain that is most affected by HD.
dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. advanced lung, heart, kidney and liver disease. stroke and other neurological diseases, including motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis. Huntington's disease.
Some people find their speech sounds a bit flat (monotone) or have difficulty raising their volume. The voice may sound more 'hoarse' or strained than it used to. These changes may be mild to start with and people may not have any difficulty understanding what you are saying.
Huntington's disease is considered to be such a serious disease resulting in disability that it is included in SSA's list of Compassionate Allowance conditions.
Young people with JHD are often misdiagnosed with ADHD or autism spectrum disorder before being diagnosed with Huntington's, or it is assumed that their behavior is the result of a stressed home environment caused by having a parent with Huntington's.