The health landscape is already grappling with a slew of neurological disorders like cerebral palsy, dementia, Alzeimer’s, Parkinson’s and so on. The latest to haunt the brain and its nerve cells is Huntington’s disease (HD). But what is it actually?
HD is a neurological condition that affects the brain, inducing the neurons or nerve cells to decompose and get defunct over time. As a result, this adversely impacts mental health and vital cognitive skills like voluntary body movement, memory, thinking capacity, behavioural patterns and personality traits. “Well, to put it in simple terms, just imagine your brain to be a complex computer, and Huntington’s disease a technical glitch that disrupts the way it works. It’s a progressive disorder that can cause problems with movement, remembering and emotions, thus making everyday tasks a challenge,” explains Dr Vinaya V. Bhandari, a consultant neurology and neuromuscular disorder specialist at Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre.
All in the Genes
As Huntington’s is widely described as a hereditary disease, Dr Bhandari suggests, “HD is like a genetic puzzle piece that can be passed down from parents to children.” Talking us through the condition, she highlights the percentage that reflects the extent of transmission of the disease from parents to their offspring. “It’s like flipping a fair coin probability. I mean each child of a parent with HD has a 50% chance of getting the mutated gene. While Huntington’s can affect people of any age — be it children or adults — symptoms usually appear between 30 and 50 years,” she informs.
Palliative Care
People with impaired cognitive capabilities and clumsiness have to embrace a difficult lifestyle for survival. But some basic remedial measures can be taken during the treatment process of HD patients to control the problem and prevent it from deteriorating. “While there’s no cure for HD, there are ways to manage symptoms and improve the overall quality of life. Medications, physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy can help address this crisis. A healthy diet and regular exercise can also make a big difference,” recommends Dr Bhandari.
Shift in Personality
Many patients even show signs of behavioural changes and altered personality attributes due to this neurological ailment. “HD can instigate drastic changes in behaviour, such as irritability, depression, obsessive compulsive disease, suicidal ideation and anxiety. Occurrence of these changes can be taxing for patients and frustrating for their loved ones, but with the right support and care, it’s possible to manage such setbacks,” assures the neurologist.
No Road to Recovery
Is it possible to heal Huntington’s disease? Well, that’s the million dollar question the medical community is racking its brain over to seek answers to. “Unfortunately, there’s no antidote to beat HD or any corrective measure registered yet to counteract its harmful effects. However, researchers are working hard to find a solution to get rid of this malady,” confirms Dr Bhandari.
The Trigger
The culprit behind HD is a tiny snag in human DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid), which is a mutated HTT (Huntingtin. Mutations or genetic changes in this Huntingtin gene causes Huntington’s disease, the neurodegenerative brain disorder) gene. “This gene goes haywire, producing a faulty protein that starts causing trouble in your brain cells. It’s kind of like a recipe gone wrong,” reports Dr Bhandari.
Indications
It affects a patient both physically and mentally.The tell-tale signs include:
l Involuntary movements or uncontrolled jerks and twitching (chorea)
l Difficulty with coordination (ataxia)
l Trouble walking, difficulty swallowing (dysphagia)
l Slurred speech
l Cognitive decline like trouble with memory, focus and multitasking
l Depression and irritability
l Emotional changes like mood swings.
Complications
A host of HD complications could include worsening of symptoms like:
l Dementia (loss of brain function, memory loss, personality changes)
l Physical injury from awkward movements or falls
l Inability to walk without external help or support
l Infections (pneumonia)
l Seizures (early onset)
l Difficulty swallowing, eating or drinking (malnutrition)