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Onset symptoms in 510 patients with Huntington's disease
L Di Maio1, F Squitieri, G Napolitano
1Department of Medical and Molecular Genetics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis.
Insights
Huntington's disease (HD) onset is often preceded by depression and stressful events, though these factors did not alter onset age. Post-onset, smoking and alcohol consumption decreased in HD patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
Background:
- Huntington's disease (HD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder.
- Understanding the natural history of HD, including onset symptoms and contributing factors, is crucial for patient care and research.
- Previous research has identified various neurological and psychiatric manifestations associated with HD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the onset symptoms and potential triggers of Huntington's disease.
- To investigate the impact of stressful events and substance use on HD onset and progression.
- To describe changes in smoking and alcohol consumption patterns after HD diagnosis.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 510 completed 'Questionnaires for Affected Individuals' from the National Huntington's Disease Research Roster (NHDRR).
- Evaluation of neurological and psychiatric onset symptoms.
- Assessment of the influence of stressful events and drug use on disease onset.
- Examination of modifications in smoking and alcohol consumption post-onset.
Main Results:
- Depression was the most frequent psychiatric symptom at onset.
- 43% of patients reported stressful events in the year preceding onset, but these events did not affect the age of onset.
- A decreasing trend in smoking and alcohol consumption was observed after disease onset.
Conclusions:
- Depression and stressful events are common around the onset of Huntington's disease.
- While stressful events may accompany HD onset, they do not appear to influence the age at which the disease begins.
- Patients tend to reduce smoking and alcohol intake following their Huntington's disease diagnosis.
Abstract:
The onset of Huntington's disease (HD) is preceded or accompanied by events and symptoms which contribute to the natural history of the disease. Data obtained from the first 510 completed 'Questionnaires for Affected Individuals', recorded by the National Huntington's Disease Research Roster (NHDRR) were analysed. The following features were evaluated: (1) neurological and psychiatric onset symptoms; (2) the precipitating effect of stressful events and drugs; (3) the modification after onset of smoking and alcohol consumption. The most frequent psychiatric onset symptom was depression. Stressful events in the year before onset occurred in 43% of patients. However, onset age was the same in patients with and without previous stressful events. Smoking and especially alcohol consumption showed a decreasing trend after onset.