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Behavioral symptoms associated with Huntington's disease

Karen E Anderson1, Frederick J Marshall

  • 1Department of Neurology, Movement Disorders Division, University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.

Advances in Neurology
|December 31, 2005
PubMed

Insights

Huntington's disease (HD) patients experience significant behavioral symptoms like irritability and apathy. While behavioral interventions and standard pharmacotherapy show promise, controlled studies are needed to confirm their efficacy in managing these complex symptoms.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Psychiatry
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases

Background:

  • Huntington's disease (HD) is characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms.
  • Behavioral symptoms significantly contribute to patient morbidity and caregiver burden.
  • Existing interventions for behavioral symptoms in HD require further validation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of behavioral symptoms in Huntington's disease.
  • To discuss the potential utility of behavioral interventions and pharmacotherapy.
  • To highlight the need for controlled studies on treatment efficacy in HD patients.

Main Methods:

  • Clinical observation and literature review.
  • Evaluation of behavioral symptoms, including irritability and apathy.
  • Assessment of standard pharmacotherapy response in HD patients.

Main Results:

  • Behavioral symptoms are nearly universal in HD patients, exacerbating disease impact.
  • Behavioral interventions may help manage specific symptoms like irritability and apathy.
  • Clinical observations suggest HD patients respond to standard pharmacotherapy.
  • Underlying medical conditions should be ruled out for rapid behavioral changes.

Conclusions:

  • Behavioral symptoms are a critical aspect of Huntington's disease management.
  • Behavioral interventions and pharmacotherapy are potential treatment avenues.
  • Rigorous controlled studies are essential to establish evidence-based treatment guidelines for psychiatric symptoms in HD.

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