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'It's more than just irritability': perspectives and experiences of irritability among people affected by

Tierney Tindall1, Maria Dale2, Jane Simpson3

  • 1School of Psychology and Vision Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK.

Psychology & Health
|April 24, 2026
PubMed

Insights

Irritability in Huntington's disease (HD) is a complex biopsychosocial experience. Individuals with HD perceive irritability as powerful and oppressive, actively seeking ways to manage it.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Irritability is a common psychological symptom in Huntington's disease (HD).
  • Causes are attributed to neurological changes, psychological responses to functional decline, or both.
  • Understanding lived experiences is crucial for effective support.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the perspectives and lived experiences of irritability in individuals with Huntington's disease.
  • To gain deeper insights into the multifactorial nature of irritability in HD.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 12 gene-positive participants for HD.
  • Utilized reflexive thematic analysis to interpret interview transcripts.

Main Results:

  • Identified three key themes: 'Navigating the complex multifactorial causes of irritability,' 'The tyranny of irritability,' and 'Ongoing efforts to resist irritability.'
  • Participants viewed irritability as a powerful, oppressive force with multiple origins.
  • Participants actively sought strategies to manage and resist irritability.

Conclusions:

  • Irritability in HD is understood as a biopsychosocial experience with multifactorial origins.
  • Attribution theory may help explain meaning-making and resistance efforts.
  • There is a need for psychological interventions and educational materials to support individuals with HD and their families.
Abstract

Keywords:
Huntington’s diseasebiopsychosocialirritabilityqualitativewellbeing

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