Huntington's disease: A Neurological Condition with Lack of Co-ordination

James Lee, Department of Neurosurgery, Morehouse School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA, Email: leejames123@gmail.com

Received: 20-May-2022, Manuscript No. JMOLPAT-22-68341; Editor assigned: 23-May-2022, Pre QC No. JMOLPAT-22-68341 (PQ); Reviewed: 08-Jun-2022, QC No. JMOLPAT-22-68341; Revised: 15-Jun-2022, Manuscript No. JMOLPAT-22-68341 (R); Published: 24-Jun-2022

Description

The neurological condition known as Huntington’s Disease (HD), commonly referred to as Huntington’s chorea, is primarily hereditary. The first signs are frequently modest issues with mood or cognitive function. The result is frequently a general lack of coordination and a shaky walk. Additionally, chorea, a disorder of hyperkinetic movement, is brought on by the illness of the basal ganglia. Uncoordinated, uncontrollable body movements associated with chorea become increasingly noticeable as the illness progresses. Physical abilities eventually deteriorate to the point that coordination is difficult to maintain and speech is lost. Dementia typically results in deterioration in mental ability. The precise symptoms differ a little bit from person to person. Even though they can start at any age, symptoms typically appear between the ages of 30 and 50. Each subsequent generation could see the condition progress more quickly.

Signs and symptoms

Huntington’s disease manifests as a triad of motor, cognitive, and mental symptoms, which most frequently appear between the ages of 30 and 50 but can start at any age. 50% of the time, psychiatric symptoms come on first. Early stages, middle stages, and late stages of its evolution are frequently mentioned, along with an earlier prodromal phase. Early personality changes, difficulties with cognition and motor abilities, impatience, and mood swings can all go unnoticed and frequently come before the motor signs. Nearly everyone with HD eventually displays comparable physical symptoms, but there are considerable individual differences in the onset, course, and severity of cognitive and behavioural problems.

The first physical signs that stand out the most are chorea, which are jerky, unpredictable, and uncontrollable movements. Many people are hampered by or unaware of their involuntary movements. Initial signs of chorea may include overall restlessness, involuntary tiny movements, poor coordination, or sluggish saccadic eye movements. These subtle motor irregularities typically appear at least three years before more prominent evidence of motor dysfunction. As the disease worsens, signs including rigidity, writhing movements, or aberrant posture become more obvious. These are indications that the brain’s movement-controlling mechanism has been impacted. Any action that involves muscle control is impacted when psychomotor functions get progressively worsened. Physical instability, unusual facial expressions, and issues speaking, chewing, and swallowing are frequent results. Weight loss and sleep issues are other related symptoms. Eating issues frequently result in weight loss and might cause malnutrition.

Cognitive abilities gradually deteriorate towards dementia and become increasingly compromised. Executive skills, such as planning, cognitive flexibility, abstract thought, rule acquisition, initiating appropriate behaviours, and inhibiting unsuitable ones, are particularly impaired. Memory problems frequently develop as the illness worsens. There have been reports of short- term memory problems as well as long-term memory issues, as well as deficits in working memory, procedural memory, and episodic memory (remember of one’s life).

Anxiety, despair, a lack of emotional expression, egocentrism, hostility, and compulsive behaviour are among the reported neuropsychiatric symptoms. The latter can lead to or exacerbate addictions including drinking, gambling, and hypersexuality. It has also been noted that people have trouble reading other people’s unfavourable facial expressions. The incidence of these symptoms varies greatly between studies, with lifetime prevalence rates for mental diseases estimated to range between 33 and 76 percent. These symptoms are among the most upsetting features of the disease for many people who have it and their families; they frequently interfere with everyday life and are a factor in institutionalisation. HD patients who experience early behavioural changes have a higher risk of suicide. Individuals frequently have less awareness of their emotional, cognitive, and choreatic deficits.

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