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-Huntingtons (HD) is a fatal disease resulting from genetically programmed degenerations of nerve cells. The brain becomes a hostage from the mutant proteins effecting motor skills. brain function, and causing emotional disturbances.
SYMPTOMS OF HD
Movement Disorders Cognitive Disorders Psychiatric DisordersInvoluntary jerking or writhing movements (chorea)
Involuntary, sustained contracture of muscles (dystonia)
Muscle Rigidity
Difficulty with physical production of speech
Difficulty planning, organizing and prioritizing tasks
Inability to start a task or conversation
Lack of impulse control
Feelings of sadness or unhappiness
Loss of interest in normal activities
Social withdrawal
Insomnia or excessive sleeping
Juvenile HD
SymptomsLoss of previously learned academic or physical skills
Rapid, significant drop in overall school performance
Transmission
HD appears on the fourth autosomal chromosome.
The disease results from changes to the gene known as (Huntington) located on the short arm of chromsome four
Huntingtons disease is not transmitted via the 23rd pair of chromosomes, which means that men and women can inherit and pass on Huntingtons Disease
There is a 50% chance of passing on the dominant gene that is Huntingtons. If the gene is not passed on, the child has 0% chance of passing on the disease
The HD gene is composed of the DNA sequence CAG (cysotine-adenine-guanine), this sequence may be duplicated many times in many individuals without Huntingtons Disease, however individuals with the Disease may have 40-100 repeated CAG sequences
Treatment
New treatments have been fully tested on animals such as chimps and mice of a new type of therapeutic exploration preventing further mutation of the nerve cells for a number of months.
Animals are treated with these ASOs, synthetic nucleic acids, to bind to and destroy the mutated protein that causes Huntingtons Disease.
This new treatment is still in testing phases, but is a positive new breakthrough that gives new hope for sufferers of HD
Sustaining Life Today
“Huntingtons Symptoms.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2012. <http://www.science-daily.com/releases/2012/06/0120620132924.html>.
“Www.healthcommunities.com/huntingtons-disease/symptoms.html.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2012. <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/06/0120620132924.html>.
Bibliography
“Huntington’s Disease.” WebMD. WebMD, n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2012. <http://www.webmd.com/brain/huntingtons-disease-11119>.
“Genetics of Huntington Disease.” Genetics of Huntington’s Disease. Kumc Education, n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2012. <http://www.kumc.edu/hospital/huntingtons/genetics.html>.
“PM with Mark Colvin.” PM. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Aug. 2012. <http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2010/s2966873.htm>.