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Use of antidepressants in early Huntington's Disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Vishnu Tiwari1, Sanjukta Dutta2, Feras Alkharboush3

  • 1University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital Psychiatry Residency Training Program, Miami, FL, USA.

Neurodegenerative Disease Management
|May 27, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Antidepressants may modestly improve mood in early Huntington's Disease (HD), but do not significantly impact cognitive, functional, or motor symptoms. Further research is needed for these neuropsychiatric symptoms.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Neuropsychiatric symptoms are prevalent in Huntington's Disease (HD).
  • Limited evidence exists on the efficacy of psychotropic medications for behavioral and cognitive symptoms in HD.
  • This review focuses on antidepressants for early HD patients.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze the evidence on antidepressant effects in early Huntington's Disease.
  • To assess the impact of antidepressants on mood, cognition, function, and motor symptoms.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review and random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
  • Comparison of antidepressants versus placebo in individuals with HD.
  • Outcomes included executive functioning, functional capacity, mood, motor function, and adverse events.

Main Results:

  • Four studies with 123 early HD patients were analyzed.
  • Antidepressant treatment showed a modest, statistically significant improvement in mood (OR -1.22; p=0.02).
  • No significant differences were observed in executive functioning, functional capacity, or motor function.

Conclusions:

  • Antidepressant use may offer a modest mood benefit in early HD.
  • Antidepressants did not ameliorate functional, cognitive, or movement-related symptoms.
  • Further research with larger samples and longer follow-up is required.
Abstract

Keywords:
Huntington’s Diseaseclinical trialscomparative effectiveness researchdrug deliveryoutcomes research

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