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Updated: Feb 13, 2026

Whole-brain Segmentation and Change-point Analysis of Anatomical Brain MRI—Application in Premanifest Huntington's Disease
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Optimal Expectations and Limited Medical Testing: Evidence from Huntington Disease: Corrigendum

Emily Oster1, Ira Shoulson2, E Ray Dorsey3

  • 1Brown University, Providence, RI.

The American Economic Review
|March 17, 2018
PubMed

Insights

This study corrects Huntington Disease (HD) risk perception figures. Individuals with early symptoms accurately perceive their HD risk, while those with advanced symptoms remain overly optimistic, contrary to previous findings.

Area of Science:

  • Medical Research
  • Bayesian Analysis
  • Risk Perception Studies

Background:

  • The original study "Optimal Expectations and Limited Medical Testing: Evidence from Huntington Disease" (2013) presented Figure 4 on Huntington Disease (HD) risk perception.
  • Figure 4 illustrated how individuals' perceived risk of HD changes with symptom progression.
  • It compared perceived risk with calculated "actual risk" using Bayesian updating.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To update and correct Figure 4 from the 2013 study on Huntington Disease (HD).
  • To address inaccuracies in the calculation of "actual risk" for HD.
  • To present revised data on risk perception in relation to symptom severity.

Main Methods:

  • Re-analyzing data on Huntington Disease (HD) risk perception with updated information.
  • Correcting a calculation error in the "actual risk" series presented in the original Figure 4.
  • Utilizing improved data availability to refine Bayesian updating calculations for HD risk.

Main Results:

  • The corrected figure indicates that individuals with low symptom levels accurately perceive their Huntington Disease (HD) risk.
  • Individuals with more advanced symptoms exhibit overoptimism regarding their HD risk.
  • The overall level of overoptimism concerning HD risk is lower than initially reported in the original study.

Conclusions:

  • Risk perception accuracy for Huntington Disease (HD) varies with symptom severity.
  • The findings suggest a nuanced understanding of overoptimism in HD risk assessment.
  • Revised data impacts the interpretation of expectations and limited medical testing in the context of HD.

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