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Longitudinal evaluation of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Huntington's disease

Jennifer C Thompson1, Jenny Harris, Andrea C Sollom

  • 1Cerebral Function Unit, Greater Manchester Neuroscience Centre, Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Salford, UK. jennifer.thompson@manchester.ac.uk

The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences
|March 28, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Huntington

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Science
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms.
  • Previous studies may have underestimated the prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms in HD due to limitations in assessment methods or study design.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the longitudinal prevalence and progression of neuropsychiatric symptoms in a cohort of Huntington's disease patients.
  • To identify distinct longitudinal profiles for apathy, irritability, and depression in HD and their association with disease progression.

Main Methods:

  • 111 patients with Huntington's disease (HD) were assessed annually for a minimum of three years.
  • The Problem Behaviors Assessment for Huntington's Disease (PBA-HD) was utilized to evaluate neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Main Results:

  • Longitudinal prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms was significantly higher than baseline prevalence.
  • Apathy showed a consistent progression over time and across disease stages.
  • Irritability increased significantly in the early stages of HD, while depression did not show a significant increase.

Conclusions:

  • Neuropsychiatric symptoms are highly prevalent and evolve over time in Huntington's disease.
  • Apathy appears to be an intrinsic component of HD evolution and progression.
  • Distinct longitudinal profiles for apathy, irritability, and depression highlight the complexity of psychiatric manifestations in HD.

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