Huntington's disease is a genetic disorder that usually manifests around middle age. It causes jerky, uncontrollable movements, slurred speech and difficulty in chewing and swallowing. It also causes cognitive and psychiatric symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, reduced affect and inability to recognize negative expressions such as anger, fear and sadness.
Instructions
1. Get a physical examination. This usually occurs when there are symptoms that lead to concern, such as a patient with uncontrollable movements, unsteady gait or slurred speech. Based on the neurological findings tests like a cranial CT Scan or an MRI can be performed.
2. Get a psychological evaluation. This is important for those showing some symptoms that could be related to Huntington's disease to eliminate any other causes of the symptoms.
3. Testing. There are genetic blood tests that can be performed even on people that do not show any symptoms of this disease. This would count the number of repetitions in the Huntington's disease gene and determine if the patient does not carry expanded copy of the gene and will never develop symptoms or if the patient is positive and carries and will develop the disease. A positive carrier has a 50 percent chance of passing it to their children.
4. Screenings. There is another type of testing called embryonic screening. It makes it possible for Huntington's disease carriers or people at risk of contracting consider the possibility of an abortion if the baby is positive, if that option is acceptable to them. Embryonic testing can also be done with in vitro fertilization before implanting the embryo.
Tags: Huntington disease, slurred speech, symptoms that, uncontrollable movements