Huntington Disease
Introduction to Huntington's disease
In 1872, the American physician George Huntington wrote about an illness that he called "an heirloom from generations away back in the dim past." He was not the first to describe the disorder, which has been traced back to the Middle Ages at least. One of its earliest names was chorea, which, as in
"choreography," is the Greek word for dance. The term chorea describes how
people affected with the disorder writhe, twist, and turn in a constant,
uncontrollable dance-like motion. Later, other descriptive names evolved.
"Hereditary chorea" emphasizes how the disease is passed from parent to child.
"Chronic progressive chorea" stresses how symptoms of the disease worsen over time. Today, physicians commonly use the simple term Huntington's disease (HD) to describe this highly complex disorder that causes untold suffering for thousands of families.
More than 15,000 Americans have HD. At least 150,000 others have a 50 percent risk of developing the disease and thousands more of their relatives live with the possibility that they, too, might develop HD.
Until recently, scientists understood very little about
HD and could only watch as the disease continued to pass from generation to
generation. Families saw the disease destroy their loved ones' ability to feel,
think, and move. In the last several years, scientists working with support from
the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) have made several breakthroughs in the area of HD research. With these advances, our understanding of the disease continues to improve.
This article presents information about HD, and about current research progress, to health professionals, scientists, caregivers, and, most important, to those already too familiar with the disorder: the many families who are affected by HD.
Next: What causes Huntington's disease? »
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