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Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by severe motor, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. Patients of all ages can present with a dysfunction of the nervous system, which leads to the progressive loss of movement control and disabilities in speech, swallowing, communications, etc. The molecular basis of the disease is well-known, as HD is related to a mutated gene, a trinucleotide expansion, which encodes to the huntingtin protein. This protein is linked to neurogenesis and the loss of its function leads to neurodegenerative disorders. Although the genetic cause of the disorder has been known for decades, no effective treatment is yet available to prevent onset or to eliminate the progression of symptoms. Thus, the present review focused on the development of novel methods for the timely and accurate diagnosis of HD in an aim to aid the development of therapies which may reduce the severity of the symptoms and control their progression. The majority of the therapies include gene-silencing mechanisms of the mutated huntingtin gene aiming to suppress its expression, and the use of various substances as drugs with highly promising results. In the present review, the latest approaches on the diagnosis of HD are discussed along with the need for genetic counseling and an up-to-date presentation of the applied treatments.

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed the lives of individuals. To date, there is no specific antiviral drug available against SARS-CoV-2 and the recently developed vaccines are very promising; however, their influence on the pandemic remains limited. The most effective strategy to reduce the spread of the virus is social distancing and social lockdowns. All humanity is going through a period in which the health domain is at the forefront, demanding the adoption of new habits to protect individuals and public health, such as the continued use of masks and vigilant hand hygiene. Lifestyle conditions have a negative effect on the psychological and mental health of individuals, as there has been an increase in the rates of psychological stress, panic attacks, depression, violence and sleep disorders. Quarantines also have a negative impact on the socio-economic sector, as unemployment and poverty rates have risen worldwide due to industrial production arrest and closure of businesses. Additionally, the epigenetic effect of the undergoing tension due to the pandemic and social lockdowns can cause a long-term negative effects on human behavior and physiology. However, lockdowns and quarantines have a positive impact on the environment and energy saving due to limited human activity and transport. Thus, the aim of the present review article was to record the impact of lockdowns on the health, physical and mental, of people as well as on society and the environment.