Huntington s Disease And Its Effects - 831 Words

Huntington’s Disease Huntington’s is named after George Huntington who was the first person to describe the disease in 1872. However it wasn’t until 1993 that the gene that causes Huntington’s was discovered. Huntington’s is an inherited progressive disease that affects the brain and causes severe cognitive decline. The result is involuntary movements, emotional disturbance, damaged perception and memory as well as overall lowered though processing ability. We know that Huntington’s is a genetic disease because in 1993 they found the gene that causes it which happens to be chromosome 4. The function of chromosome 4 is currently unknown, however the defective gene has excessive repetition (from 40 to more than 80 times) of the sequence â€Å"CAG†. This results in a malformed protein which is prone to clump in the brain. The clumping causes nearby nerves to die creating the symptoms of Huntington’s. Prior to 1993 they knew it was genetic as it is hereditary. Sadly the Huntington gene is dominant, so each child of a Huntington carrier has a 50% chance of inheriting it. A person with Huntington’s can develop symptoms anywhere in between2 and 80, however symptoms generally appear mid-life. In the case that the child doesn’t copy the defective gene, they will neither get the disease nor be a carrier of it. Back in the 18th century when Huntington’s was first recognised it was still poorly understood, this was due to the fact that people who had the disease died before symptomsShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Huntington s Disease And Its Effects On The Patients And Their Families1636 Words   |  7 Pagesdecided to have genetic testing to discern if they had Huntington’s disease. Their father had Huntington’s disease and it was a devastating experience. Their father was in the middle stage, he had a wobbly, spasmodic walk, spontaneous movements and his cognitive capabilities were waning. Chloe was negative, but her sister was positive. Watching my friends undergo testing and listening about their father revealed to me how Huntington’s disease has extensive emotional, social, and mental impact on the patientsRead MoreHuntington s Disease : A Dynamic, Neurological Disorder1632 Words   |  7 PagesHuntington s disease is a dynamic, neurological disorder. Tragicall y, it doesn t demonstrate manifestations until people have reached they’re 30 s or more. Children whose parent s have this genetic disorder have a 50-50 ( ) possibility of acquiring the trait. History Huntington s disease was found by numerous researchers before George Huntington. For instance in the 1840 s HD was described in writing as a Chronic hereditary chorea by Dr Waters of Franklin N.Y., ( ) who found aRead MoreHuntington s Disease : A Progressive Brain Disorder Caused By A Defective Gene1134 Words   |  5 PagesHuntington s Disease (HD) is a progressive brain disorder caused by a defective gene. This disease causes changes in the central area of the brain, which affect movement, mood and thinking skills. Nerve cells become impaired, causing several segments of the brain to fail. The disease disturbs movement, behavior and perception the affected people abilities to walk, think, reason and talk are slowly weakened to a point that they eventually become entirely dependent on other people for care. HD isRead MoreResearch Paper on Huntingtons Disease1268 Words   |  6 PagesHuntington’s disease is a hereditary brain disorder that is progressive in neurodegenerati on; which means, there is a loss of function and structures of one’s neurons. In the long run it results in the loss of both mental and physical control. The disease affects muscle coordination, cognition and behavior. It used to be known as Huntington’s chorea because it is the most common genetic disease that is the cause of abnormal twitching. Huntington s has an intense effect on patients, as individualsRead MoreSymptoms And Treatment Of Huntington s Disease1350 Words   |  6 PagesHuntington s Disease Huntington s disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disease that is caused by a mutation on the HTT gene. It typically effects persons in their third to fifth decade of life and can be passed onto their children. Neurons in the brain waste away or degenerate in different areas causing the characterizing symptoms, such as dance-like movements and mental decline. Diagnosis and prognosis can be devastating to both individual and family. However, there are genetic tests thatRead MoreEssay on Huntington’s Disease990 Words   |  4 Pagesneurological disease which will not show its effects until mid-life. Because of this disorder, the gene is known as â€Å"The Huntington Gene,† though it has also been referred to as â€Å"The Wolf-Hirschorn Gene† and â€Å"IT15† meaning â€Å"Interesting Transcript #15.† The Huntington Gene codes for a protein known as huntingtin. This protein carries the amino acid glutamine, which aids in a variety of metabolic processes. In fact, â€Å"the repetition of the ‘word’ ‘C A G’ in the middle of the (Huntington) gene resultsRead MoreHuntington s Disease Is A Rare Progressive Genetic Disorder2026 Words   |  9 PagesHuntington s Chorea or Huntington s Disease is a rare progressive genetic disorder which afflicts roughly 7 out of every 100,000 people in North America (Rawlins, 2016, pp. 144–153). The disease manifests primarily in tissues of the brain, and affects the shutdown of many primary functions including speech, movement, and cognitive abilities. With a strong genetic component, there is a 50% chance of just one parent passing the gene linked with Huntington s Disease along to offspring; additionallyRead MoreGenetic Testing And Mental Health Disorders1039 Words   |  5 PagesHuntington’s disease throu gh human genome and family research. Diagnostic and presymptomatic testing is available by discovering a gene mutation for Huntington Disease (HD) and prepares persons who are at risk for Huntington Disease (HD) to ask for genetic testing. A multi-visit protocol is enacted when HD genetic testing is offered through HD testing centers, followed by education and counseling for those requesting to have HD gene testing. I will use this paper to define Huntington’s disease, choreaRead MoreDisorders of the Nervous System: Huntington’s disease800 Words   |  4 PagesHuntington’s disease Huntington’s disease destroys the organs that carry the functions of the central nervous system. Kalat (2013) states, â€Å"Huntington disease (also known as Huntington disease or Huntington’s Chorea) is a severe neurological disorder that strikes about 1 person in 10,000 in the United States† (A.B. Young, 1995, p. 258).Individual’s develop the symptoms in their middle age, but even if it is a rare disorders juveniles as well as children before the age of ten can develop the disease. Huntington’sRead MoreHuntington s Disease And The Nervous System856 Words   |  4 Pages Huntington’s disease, also known as Huntington’s chorea, is a rare pathology among the nervous system. With fewer than 200,000 US cases per year is an inherited condition in which nerve cells in the brain break down over a period of time. This disease will usually start to effect people when they are in their 30s or 40s. Huntington’s usually results in psych iatric symptoms, progressive movement and thinking. No cure to this disease exists but physical therapy, drugs, and talk therapy can help manage