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Two Ethnic Clusters with Huntington Disease in Israel: The Case of Mountain Jews and Karaites

Jennifer Zitser1, Avner Thaler, Noit Inbar

  • 1Movement Disorders Unit, Neurological Institute, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel.

Neuro-Degenerative Diseases
|August 30, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Huntington disease (HD) shows clustering in specific Jewish groups in Israel, particularly Mountain Jews and Karaites. This study highlights over-representation in the HD patient population at a specialized center.

Area of Science:

  • Neurogenetics
  • Epidemiology
  • Jewish Genetic Diseases

Background:

  • Huntington disease (HD) prevalence estimates vary globally.
  • Limited data exists on HD prevalence within Israel's diverse Jewish population.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the clinical, cognitive, and demographic characteristics of Huntington disease patients in Israel.
  • To identify potential population-specific patterns of HD within the Jewish community.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 84 Huntington disease patients at a tertiary single-center clinic in Israel.
  • Assessment included clinical evaluations, cognitive tests, and demographic data collection.

Main Results:

  • The cohort included Ashkenazi, Mountain (Caucasus), Sephardi Jews, and Karaites.
  • Mountain Jews and Karaites were over-represented in the HD cohort compared to their general population prevalence.
  • No significant differences were found in CAG repeat numbers, age at onset, disease duration, or cognitive scores among the groups.

Conclusions:

  • A notable clustering of Huntington disease was observed among specific Jewish subpopulations treated at the center.
  • Mountain Jews and Karaites represent disproportionately high percentages of the HD patient population in Israel.
  • These findings suggest a potential genetic predisposition or specific epidemiological factors influencing HD occurrence in these groups.
Abstract

Keywords:
Huntington diseaseKaraitesMountain Jews

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