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Aggressive behaviour in Huntington's disease: a cross-sectional study in a nursing home population
1Department of Medical Genetics, Churchill Hospital, Headington, Oxford, UK.
Behavioural Neurology
|February 4, 2014
Summary
Aggressive behavior is common in Huntington's disease patients in nursing homes, particularly those with greater functional impairment. However, injuries and interventions for aggression were infrequent.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Gerontology
Background:
- Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder.
- Aggressive behavior is a challenging symptom in cognitive impairment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess aggressive behavior in Huntington's disease patients.
- To examine the relationship between aggression and functional impairment.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 27 nursing home residents with Huntington's disease.
- Behavioral observation and rating using the RAGE scale.
- Nursing staff rated aggressive behaviors over 3 days.
Main Results:
- One-third of patients exhibited mild to severe aggression.
- High frequency of specific aggressive behaviors observed.
- Low incidence of injuries, restraints, and medication for aggression.
- Aggression significantly correlated with functional impairment.
Conclusions:
- Aggressive behavior is prevalent in Huntington's disease patients.
- Functional impairment is a key factor associated with aggression.
- Intervention strategies may need to consider the underlying functional decline.
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