Daily biotin and thiamine vitamin supplementation is an approved treatment for BTBGD, and has been used with success for individuals with this condition.
You can't cure or slow the progression of Huntington disease, but health care providers can offer medications to help with certain symptoms. Drugs like haloperidol, tetrabenazine, and amantadine are especially helpful for controlling the unusual movements caused by Huntington disease.
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.
Choose soft, easy-to-chew and easy-to-swallow foods (aim for the consistency of porridge). Use plenty of sauces and gravies to help make main meals easier to swallow. Add plenty of custards, ice-cream and cream to desserts. Avoid hard foods such as nuts and lollies.
“To date, there is no particular treatment that will actually prevent Huntington's disease or definitely slow down the progression,” Dr. Ross says. “Researchers have found that aerobic intensity can help improve motor function and improve fitness.
Caffeine boosts a neuroprotective protein in the brain that is lost in neurodegenerative conditions such as Huntington's disease, according to a study. Researchers identified 23 other compounds that also act on the protein, known as NMNAT2.
In previous work with HD mice, Duan and her colleagues found that calorie restriction (reducing calories by about 30 percent through alternate day feeding) slowed the disease progression and extended lifespan.
Persons with HD should engage in aerobic activities ideally for at least 150 minutes a week. Walking is a good aerobic exercise and still possible for the person in the middle stage of HD to perform. If available, stationary bikes are an excellent means of providing aerobic activity.
(For more information on Complications of HD, click here.) It is important to know that stress can lead to complications and the worsening of symptoms in people with HD.
People can start to show the symptoms of Huntington's disease at almost any age. Most will develop problems between the ages of 30 and 50. The condition gradually gets worse for around 10-25 years, until the person dies.
Huntington's Disease (HD) is not fatal in itself. People with HD have a shorter life expectancy and die of other life-threatening complications related to this disease. Pneumonia and heart disease are the two leading causes of death for people with HD.
The most common sleep problems reported by HD patients include insomnia, difficulties in falling asleep, frequent nocturnal awakenings, and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Promising New Advances in Huntington's Disease Research
Huntington's Disease Reprogrammed iPSCs allows robust and scalable generation of human glutamatergic neurons in wild type and CRISPR-Cas9 engineered disease lines carrying 50CAG mutation in the HTT gene.
Fasting reduces mHTT levels
The study revealed that food restriction triggered a process called autophagy — cells' self-cleaning process, in which any damaged or unnecessary components are removed — in the mice. As a direct result of the fasting-induced autophagy, levels of mHTT in the rodents' brains were reduced.
What is Huntington's disease? Huntington's disease (HD) is an inherited disorder that causes nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain to gradually break down and die. The disease attacks areas of the brain that help to control voluntary (intentional) movement, as well as other areas.
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 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.”
While maintaining a well-balanced diet is important, adapting food choices can also make a big difference for people with Huntington's disease. “Changing the consistency of the diet may help in light of that dysphagia,” recommends Hopsecger.
Acupuncture and TCM can be an effective adjunct and alternative treatment for Huntington's disease, helping to protect and stimulate the nervous system. TCM can also help address mental health and emotional disorders, like depression, anxiety, and mood swings.
Mood and behavioral changes
Agitation, irritability, and aggression are other possible personality changes. Some patients may experience hallucinations and delusions that can severely affect their day-to-day interactions. Living with Huntington's can induce feelings of anxiety, depression, apathy, and frustration.
There's currently no cure for Huntington's disease or any way to stop it getting worse. But treatment and support can help reduce some of the problems caused by the condition.
Stage 2: Early Intermediate Stage
By now, the physical signs of the disease will become more apparent, and one's daily life will be affected. Often, emotional and behavioural issues that develop during this stage will cause strain on work and family relationships.
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.