- Huntington’s Disease. Alzheimer’s Association. Accessed September 6, 2023. https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/what-is-dementia/types-of-dementia/huntington-s-disease
- Nance MA, Paulsen JS, Rosenblatt A, Wheelock V. A Physician’s Guide to the Management of Huntington’s Disease. 3rd ed. Huntington’s Disease Society of America; 2011.
- Duff K, Paulsen J, Mills J, et al. Mild cognitive impairment in prediagnosed Huntington disease. Neurology. 2010;75(6):500-507. doi:10.1212/WNL.0b013e3181eccfa2
- Cognitive Symptoms. Huntington's Disease Society of America. Accessed May 28, 2024. https://hdsa.org/what-is-hd/cognitive-symptoms/
- Huntington’s Disease. Mayo Clinic. Accessed June 2, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/huntingtons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20356117
- Huntington’s Disease. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Accessed July 26, 2023. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/huntingtons-disease
Huntington's Disease
Huntington’s disease is a rare disease passed down within families. As the disease progresses over time, it becomes more difficult to perform daily activities. Common symptoms include involuntary movement, difficulty speaking, and cognitive issues. Symptoms usually appear between ages 30 to 50, but can start as early as 2 years old or as late as 80 years old.1 Psychiatric and cognitive symptoms can severely affect people with Huntington’s disease, particularly in the earlier stages of the disease.
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Huntington's Disease Symptoms
Huntington’s disease typically leads to a range of movement, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms, including uncontrolled movement, decline of mental (cognitive) abilities, and behavioral changes. Cognitive symptoms can occur up to 15 years before motor symptoms, are progressive, and can make performing daily tasks difficult.2-4
Movement disorders (voluntary and involuntary)
- Involuntary jerking or writhing movements (chorea)
- Muscle problems, such as rigidity or muscle contracture (dystonia)
- Slow or unusual eye movements
- Impaired gait, posture, and balance
- Difficulty with speech or swallowing
Cognitive disorders
- Difficulty organizing, prioritizing, or focusing on tasks
- A tendency to get stuck on a thought, behavior, or action
- Lack of impulse control that can result in outbursts, acting without thinking, and sexual promiscuity
- Lack of awareness of one's own behaviors and abilities
- Slowness in processing thoughts or ''finding'' words
- Difficulty in learning new information
Psychiatric disorders
- Depression
- Feelings of irritability, sadness, or apathy
- Social withdrawal
- Insomnia
- Fatigue and loss of energy
- Frequent thoughts of death, dying, or suicide
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder, a condition marked by recurrent, intrusive thoughts, and repetitive behaviors
- Mania, which can cause elevated mood, overactivity, impulsive behavior, and inflated self-esteem
- Bipolar disorder, a condition with alternating episodes of depression and mania5,6
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