Huntington's Disease

HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE IS a hereditary type of chorea, which is a neurological condition that is associated with involuntary and irregular movements caused by movements of various muscle groups. It is a fatal disease and had no known cure before the development of certain stem cell treatments. The disease is named after the American doctor George Huntington, who first described the condition in detail in 1872. In fact, most variables of the disease—type and severity of symptoms, age at which onset occurs, effect on lifestyle—can vary considerably. However, it is most commonly observed as becoming manifest in patients between the ages of 30 and 50 years.

It was discovered in 1993 that Huntington's disease is caused by a single gene. A person with one parent who has ...