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Huntington's disease: Neuropsychiatric manifestations of Huntington's disease

Anita My Goh1, Pierre Wibawa2, Samantha M Loi3

  • 1Neuropsychologist, Neuropsychiatry Unit, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, VIC, and; Research Fellow, Academic Unit for Psychiatry of Old Age, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, and; National Ageing Research Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia.

Australasian Psychiatry : Bulletin of Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
|July 18, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Huntington's disease (HD) management focuses on maximizing quality of life by addressing neuropsychiatric symptoms. These symptoms can appear decades before motor signs, impacting function and offering insights into neurodegeneration.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Huntington's disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder with no current cure.
  • Current management aims to improve quality of life and functional independence for patients and families.
  • Neuropsychiatric manifestations are a significant aspect of HD's clinical presentation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the common neuropsychiatric manifestations in Huntington's disease.
  • To outline and evaluate the aetiology, symptoms, and diagnosis of these neuropsychiatric facets.
  • To provide clinical insights into neurodegeneration and psychiatric disorders.

Main Methods:

  • This is a clinical update review.
  • Focuses on common neuropsychiatric manifestations.
  • Outlines and evaluates various neuropsychiatric facets of HD.

Main Results:

  • Neuropsychiatric symptoms can precede motor symptoms by decades in prodromal HD.
  • These symptoms significantly impair function.
  • HD offers insights into organic psychiatric disorders and neurodegeneration.

Conclusions:

  • Neuropsychiatric symptoms are a critical, often early, feature of Huntington's disease.
  • Understanding these symptoms is key to managing HD and improving patient outcomes.
  • HD research contributes to understanding neurodegenerative processes and psychiatric manifestations.
Abstract

Keywords:
Huntington’s diseaseneuropsychiatric manifestationsneuropsychiatrypsychiatry

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