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Cognitive impairment and behavioural difficulties in patients with Huntington's disease

Colin Bourne1, Carole Clayton, Ann Murch

  • 1Huntington's Disease Service, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Derby. colin.bourne@leicspart.nhs.uk

Nursing Standard (Royal College of Nursing (Great Britain) : 1987)
|May 26, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Huntington's disease (HD) impacts physical, psychological, and cognitive functions. This review focuses on the under-discussed cognitive aspects and their link to behavior in HD patients, offering management strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder with multifaceted effects.
  • Existing nursing literature predominantly addresses physical and psychological symptoms of HD.
  • Cognitive symptoms in HD are often underrepresented and challenging to interpret.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the relationship between cognitive impairments and behavioral changes in Huntington's disease.
  • To identify and propose management strategies for behaviors associated with cognitive decline in HD.
  • To highlight the importance of addressing cognitive aspects in HD patient care.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of nursing articles focusing on Huntington's disease.
  • Analysis of the connection between cognitive deficits and behavioral manifestations in HD patients.
  • Synthesis of strategies for managing HD-related behaviors.

Main Results:

  • Cognitive symptoms are a significant, yet often overlooked, component of Huntington's disease.
  • A strong link exists between cognitive changes and behavioral disturbances in individuals with HD.
  • Current literature provides limited guidance on managing cognitive-behavioral aspects of HD.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the cognitive-behavioral link is crucial for comprehensive Huntington's disease care.
  • Effective management of behavioral symptoms in HD requires addressing underlying cognitive impairments.
  • Further research and nursing focus on cognitive aspects of HD are warranted to improve patient outcomes.

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