Huntington's Disease

What was the initial symptom that occurs with Huntington's disease mentioned within the presentation?

• A) Gait abnormalities

• B) Chorea [involuntary movements]

• C) Difficulty speaking

• D) Basal ganglia atrophy

Answer explanation

B) Chorea [involuntary movements]

Due to the basaglia being impacted, the inhibition pathways are limited and causes excessive and involuntary movements.

It was mentioned that due to the nature of the disease the prevalence of HD is likely to increase, why do you think this is the case?

Answer explanation

HD is a dominant autosomal disorder, meaning there is a 50% chance of inheriting the disease. Due to the 1 in 2 chances of this occurring, an increasing number of people will inherit the mutated gene.

An individual with early stage Huntington’s has come to you regarding the implementation of a training program to improve their quality of life and reduce the risk of injury. What are some of the key areas that can be targeted?

Answer explanation

Falls prevention, 

Mobility maintenance,

Gait training,

Developing strength,

Respiratory training.

Zarotti et al. (2020), mentioned that there was “a lack of robust empirical data” to support psychological interventions. Why do you believe this is the case?

Answer explanation

- Rarity of the disease (2.7 in every 100,000)

- Little is understood about a cure for Huntington’s; therefore, it may be reasonable to assume that current interventions are not effective. 

- The systematic review largely focuses on psychiatric, neurological, and medicinal approaches rather than psychological intervention for management.