Huntington's disease is an inherited disease that leads to problems with movement, thinking and mood which can negatively affect an individual's quality of life. The fatal disease progressively causes nerve cell degeneration in the brain.
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.
Huntington's disease (HD) commonly presents with impaired social functioning. Specifically, many patients exhibit social withdrawal, or decreased engagement in social activities.
The person with Huntington's disease may also stop working or driving, and may struggle to look after themselves. The effect of that person suddenly not working or driving can have a huge impact on the rest of the family. Financially and socially it begins to restrict the family and make things difficult.
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.
Common emotional and behavioral difficulties among persons with HD include depression, anxiety, irritability-anger, aggression, perseveration, disinhibition, and apathy (5–14).
Huntington's disease impairs the functioning of the brain, which can result in apathy, trouble organizing, impulsivity, irritability and anger, unawareness, disinhibition, preservation, and other psychiatric symptoms. These emotional and behavioral symptoms can further complicate the caregiver's role.
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.
Overview of HD's Behavioral and Psychiatric Symptoms
People with HD may suffer from depression and other conditions found in the general population, such as mania, obsessive compulsive disorder, or various forms of psychosis.
Early symptoms may include personality changes, such as mood swings, irritability, apathy, depression, anger or aggression. Early in the disease, cognitive decline may manifest as memory and learning difficulties, judgment impairment, and trouble with driving, answering questions or making decisions.
Cognitive deficits affect memory, visuospatial abilities and executive function, often resulting in dementia. Various psychiatric and behavioral symptoms can occur in HD, including irritability, aggression, obsessions, compulsive behaviors, anxiety or psychosis, with depression being one of the most common [4].
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.
After Huntington's disease starts, a person's functional abilities gradually worsen over time. The rate of disease progression and duration varies. The time from the first symptoms to death is often about 10 to 30 years. Juvenile Huntington's disease usually results in death within 10 years after symptoms develop.
There is no cure for the disease, and there is a high rate of neuropsychiatric symptoms including depression, and aggressive behavior.
Huntington's disease (HD) is one of the most devastating diseases of mankind. It incapacitates patients by affecting their ability to move, think, and behave normally. It causes uncontrollable and disabling movements of the face, neck, trunk and limbs, loss of balance, and uncoordinated movements.
Woody Guthrie was an American songwriter, musician, writer, and political activist who died with Huntington disease (HD) in 1967 at age 55. His relatively brief creative life was incredibly productive with countless songs and a tremendous volume of letters to his name.
Because the disease causes a loss of coordination in the throat muscles (dysarthria) responsible for speaking and breathing, speech changes such as hoarseness in the voice, slurred words, the inability to control speech volume, and inappropriate pauses between words, are common.
Mood and behavioral changes
Living with Huntington's can induce feelings of anxiety, depression, apathy, and frustration. Such emotions may occur as the result of the diagnosis, or develop over time as a consequence of the disease process in the brain.
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.
Get enough sleep. Maintain a healthy diet. Scheduling routine medical checkup and appointments. Seek out help from a Huntington's disease support group.
Huntington's disease is a condition that stops parts of the brain working properly over time. It's passed on (inherited) from a person's parents. It gets gradually worse over time and is usually fatal after a period of up to 20 years.