In his seminal description of the disorder which now bears his name, George Huntington noted that “the eyelids are kept winking, the brows are corrugated, and then elevated, the nose is screwed first to the one side and then to the other, and the mouth is drawn in various directions” [1, 2].
The hallmark symptom of Huntington's disease is uncontrolled movement of the arms, legs, head, face and upper body. Huntington's disease also causes a decline in thinking and reasoning skills, including memory, concentration, judgment, and ability to plan and organize.
The disease attacks areas of the brain that help to control voluntary (intentional) movement, as well as other areas. People living with HD develop uncontrollable dance-like movements (chorea) and abnormal body postures, as well as problems with behavior, emotion, thinking, and personality.
involuntary jerking or fidgety movements of the limbs and body. difficulty speaking clearly – eventually they may find all communication very difficult. swallowing problems – they may choke on food and get lung infections (pneumonia) from food going down the wrong way. increasingly slow or rigid movements.
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.
Huntington's disease is a condition that damages nerve cells in the brain causing them to stop working properly. It's passed on (inherited) from a person's parents. The damage to the brain gets worse over time. It can affect movement, cognition (perception, awareness, thinking, judgement) and mental health.
Summary. Common complications of Huntington's disease include problems with eating and swallowing (dysphagia), particularly as the disease progresses. Weight loss is often associated with Huntington's disease.
At this stage, a person with Huntington's is no longer able to do their own personal care and domestic responsibilities, and will have difficulty with mobility, needing to be in a chair or bed most of the time. Swallowing may be difficult and there may be significant weight loss.
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.
As the disease progresses, a variety of motor, emotional/behavioral, and cognitive symptoms are experienced, including unsteadiness, trouble holding onto things, trouble walking, changes in sleeping patterns, delusions and hallucinations, intellectual decline, and memory loss.
Eye symptoms associated with Huntington's disease include ocular motility problems, like different characteristics of saccades, pursuit and fixation abnormalities, as well as retinal thinning.
Weight loss can make symptoms worse and weaken the patient's immune system, making them more vulnerable to infections and other complications. Huntington's disease itself is not usually fatal, but it can lead to choking, pneumonia, or other infections that can lead to death.
Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder that usually starts in mid-adult life. The clinical disease progresses to death over an average of 20 years.
It should be stated at the outset that the teeth of people with Huntington's Disease (HD) are no different from those of other people. They are not innately more susceptible to tooth decay or gum disease, but people with HD do present clinically with more dental problems.
Autosomal-dominant diseases that can mimic HD are HD-like 2, C9orf72 mutations, spinocerebellar ataxia type 2, spinocerebellar ataxia type 17 (HD-like 4), benign hereditary chorea, neuroferritinopathy (neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation type 3), dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy and HD-like 1.
People with Huntington's may also be less able to control their emotions, possibly leading to outbursts of screaming, swearing, slamming doors, hitting walls, or the like. Patterns of behavior can change as the disease progresses.
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.
The bottom line. Being physically and mentally active in life is good for everyone, and particularly for those at risk of developing HD, because it might affect symptom onset.
Pneumonia and heart disease are the two leading causes of death for people with HD.
The most painful conditions in Huntington's, said Achterberg, are limb pain, headache, abdominal pain and fractures. “I think we should do more work in validation of pain tools, including observational pain instruments,” he said. “And for clinicians, I suggest you be especially aware of abdominal pain.”
Palliative care has its origins in cancer care, but is important for all kinds of chronic and progressive diseases, including HD [17]. Its relevance in addressing needs may increase with increasing severity and progression of the disease, with increasing loss of functional capacity.
Many people with Huntington's disease report that their sleep patterns are affected and sometimes are awake most of the night, then continually catnap or doze throughout the day. Many find themselves experiencing long periods being awake or asleep.
Foods to avoid for Huntington's disease
These foods include: Raw fruits. Stringy vegetables. Tough, crusty breads.
Pneumonia: Difficulty swallowing and decreased mobility can increase the risk of pneumonia, including aspiration pneumonia. Infections: Infections can develop as a result of the overall decline in health and as a result of diminished self-care.