Huntington's Disease

Huntington's Disease (HD) is an inherited cerebral disorder. It used to be known by the term Huntington's chorea and owes its name to George Huntington, the American physician who was the first to describe it in 1872.

HD causes destruction of cells in some specific parts of the brain, the caudate nucleus and the putamen, and if the disease progresses, the cerebral cortex too. The caudate nucleus and putamen are connected to many other areas of the brain and help to control body movements, emotions, thoughts, behaviour, and perception of the outside world. When brain cells die, people suffering from Huntington's Disease have difficulty controlling their movements, remembering recent events, taking decisions and controlling their emotions. The disease leads to incapacity and sooner or later, death.