1. Huntington’s Disease
By: Lacey Field
Huntington’s Disease is a genetic disease where
nerve cells deteriorate in the brain. People
diagnosed with this disease typically die 10 to 30
years after showing symptoms; however, most
people are not aware of having the disease.

2. Symptoms
 Personality changes (irritability, depression,
anger)
 Indecision
 Balancing Issues
 Clumsiness
 Jerky movements
 Dementia

3. Causes
 Huntington’s Disease is a genetic disease, so it
is given from the parent to the child. This is
referred to as autosomal dominant because
only one parent needs to gene that codes for
the disease to pass it on to their child.

4. Causes (more technical)
 Huntington’s Disease occurs because of a
genetic defect on chromosome #4. This defect
makes a CAG repeat occur more rapidly than it
typically should. Normally the CAG repeat
occurs 10 to 35 times, yet the defect causes it
to repeat 36 to 120 times, which is abnormal.
The greater the number of CAG repeats, the
higher the chance of receiving the disease.

5. Who Gets it
 The disease is usually noticed once the person
is and adult. If a child’s parent has the disease
or has family members that have/had been
diagnosed with the disease, they should check
to see if they have the disease. Anyone is
susceptible to it, it just depends on family
history.

6. Tests
 Figuring out if a person has or carries
Huntington’s disease is somewhat complicated.
 A CT or MRI scan will show if brain tissue has
been lost (a sign of Huntington’s Disease).
 DNA marker studies can be used to see if you
carry the gene for Huntington’s disease

7. Medicine
 As of this time, there are no cures for
Huntington’s Disease.
 Doctors will prescribe tetrabenazine, which
minimizes the jerky movements.
 Some tranquilizers have proved helpful, but
they have severe side effects.
 Speech and physical therapy can also help.

8. Prevention
 Because Huntington’s Disease is a genetic
disorder, any adult with this disease or any
adult that carries the gene runs the risk of
passing it on to their children.
 Adults should consider adoption or other
forms of reproduction.
 In Vitro Fertilization with Pre-Implantation
Screening is an important new discovery.

9. In Vitro with Screening
 In Vitro Fertilization with Pre- Implantation
Screening is a process in which embryos are
screened for Huntington’s Disease, and those
that do not have the CAG mutation will be
implanted into the woman for fertilization.
 This minimizes the chance of passing on the
disease to the children.

10. In Vitro with Screening
 In Vitro Fertilization with Pre- Implantation
Screening is a process in which embryos are
screened for Huntington’s Disease, and those
that do not have the CAG mutation will be
implanted into the woman for fertilization.
 This minimizes the chance of passing on the
disease to the children.