Huntington's is a hereditary disease affecting the areas in the brain which control movement, thinking and emotion. The onset of symptoms usually occurs between the ages of 30 and 50 and the disease progresses slowly over time. In Western countries Huntington’s occurs at a rate of seven to ten per 100,000 people.
The genetic mutation which is responsible for Huntington’s was discovered by scientists in 1993. Each child of a parent with Huntington’s carries a 50 per cent risk of inheriting the Huntington’s gene. If they do not inherit the gene, they and their descendants will not be affected.
Symptoms of Huntington’s disease
Symptoms usually develop in progressive stages and can be classified as cognitive, emotional and physical.