Huntington’s disease

Abstract

Huntington's disease is a complex degenerative disorder that affects the central nervous system. Although it is a rare condition, nurses are ideally placed to assess and manage patients with the disease, while also providing information and support to family members. This article discusses the cause and symptoms, explains the method of diagnosis and outlines the role of the nurse in caring for patients with Huntington's disease.

What Do We Tell the Children? Contrasting the Disclosure Choices of Two HD Families Regarding Risk Statusand Predictive Genetic Testing

“…Incorporating analysis of family communication patterns into clinical assessment may prove beneficial not only to the families, but also to the clinicians for whom issues of disclosure and non-disclosure may have ethical implications. Additionally, an awareness of communication patterns within a family can equip the clinician to be alert for signs of ineffective communication or indicators of risk associated with HD such as depres-sion and suicidal ideation (Dawson et al, 2004;Kent, 2004;Wood et al, 2002).…”

Exploring supportive care for individuals affected by Huntington disease and their family caregivers in a community setting

“…Huntington disease is a long illness, possibly lasting up to 30 years (Kent 2004). Individuals often become symptomatic when relatively young, when they may be parenting young children.…”

Protective Effect of Andrographolide in 3-Nitropropionic Acid Induced Huntington Disease and Associated Neurodegenerative Changes in Rats

“…Huntington's disease (HD) is a chronic progressive autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder that is characterized by a progressively worsening chorea, cognitive and psychiatric disturbances. This involves the basal ganglia, cerebral cortex [1] and striatalspecific degeneration. The pathological changes manifest clinically in midlife as a triple combination of cognitive decline, psychiatric disturbance and impairment of motor activities.…”