HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE
Disease information
HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE
Huntington's
Disease
.
A
hereditary degenerative
disease
of the brain that affects initially mainly motor coordination.
It comes in both sexes, showing the
disease
in general from quarantine,
though
it may first appear, and then of course faster.
It affects between 7 and 10 per 100, 000 in Europe and the United States of
America
.
Complications.
Are frequent
infections
and injuries.
Forecast.
The progression of the
disease
is often slow, going from 15 to 20 years from the onset of symptoms until death.
To be the earliest onset of illness, is often more rapid progression.
Currently, although there are lines of investigation open very promising, there is no treatment for this
disease
.
Prevention.
Genetic
counseling (the carriers)
By molecular genetics techniques can be performed prenatal diagnosis.
Diagnosis and Treatment.
DIAGNOSIS.
The diagnosis is made through the visit and clinical neurological exploration.
By molecular genetics techniques can be performed on presymptomatic diagnosis.
It is sometimes used tests, such as brain imaging (CT scan, MRI or other) to rule out other causes of the
clinic
.
TREATMENT.
It
has
no effective treatment.
General measures.
Aid for wandering, security measures in the environment of the patient.
Antidepressants,
Dopamine antagonists.
Activity
.
Will be carried out all activities that the patient's condition allows.
Diet.
Sometimes it may be necessary to paste or
liquid
diets.
Tell your
doctor
if.
Has
a
fever.
New symptoms:
those who can prescribe medications have side effects.
Signs and symptoms.
Appearing on 35 to 40 years, beginning with motor impairment:
gesticulation,
alterations in vocalization,
arrítmicos and irregular movements of the legs.
Shortly after there is
a
parallel with progressive
dementia
disorders
engines can prevail:
depression
,
behavioral
disorders
,
emotional instability and.
progressive
dementia
.
Risk Factors.
Hereditary in most cases.
Causes.
It
has
been discovered that the
disease
causes
a
genetic
mutation that lengthens the end of
a
protein
, making it toxic to brain cells, neurons.
His death produces progressive accumulation of neurons, as it leads to suicide.
In general it is
a
dominant inherited
disease
(manifested whenever transmitting the absence of
a
parent)
but
there are cases expontáneos.
The probability of transmitting the
disease
to
a
descendant is 50%.
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