Essay about Huntingtons Disease - 1557 Words

Huntington’s Disease is a brain disorder affecting movement, cognition, and emotions (Schoenstadt). It is a genetic disorder generally affecting people in their middle 30s and 40s (Sheth). Worldwide, Huntington’s disease (affects between 3-7 per 100,000 people of European ancestry (Schoenstadt). In the United States alone, 1 in every 30,000 people has Huntington’s disease (Genetic Learning Center). Huntington’s Disease is a multi-faceted disease, with a complex inheritance pattern and a wide range of symptoms. There is also much research being done in the field of Huntington’s disease, because as of 2012, this disease is untreatable. THESIS. George Huntington first described Huntington’s disease in 1872, but it was only mentioned to the†¦show more content†¦Every cell within the body contains this entire set of chromosomes, which have bases arranged to form a code (Appai-Kubi). The four bases, cytosine, adenine, guanine, and thymine, interact to form the fundamental structure of DNA (Appai-Kubi). Huntington’s Disease is found on the fourth chromosome, with a sequence known as the â€Å"CAG repeat,† (Appai-Kubi). In someone who is not afflicted, the number of CAG repeats ranges from 10 to 28 (Sheth). Typically, more than 35 repetitions of CAG is associated with Huntington’s Disease, however, there are cases with people having up to 39 repeats not having the disease (Appai-Kubi). As the gene is passed on through families, the number of repeats generally increases, and with an increased number of CAG repeats, the earlier the symptoms develop (Sheth). This characteristic of the disease al lows it to be tested for, by testing the frequency of CAG on chromosome 4 (Appai-Kubi.) During pregnancy, a woman can test for Huntington’s Disease in two ways; either amniocentesis, taking fluid from around the fetus, or by CVS, taking a sample of fetal cells from the placenta (Genetic Learning Center). A genetic test after birth can confirm the diagnosis after a series of neurological and psychological tests (Genetic Learning Center). Huntington’s Disease is inherited through an autosomal dominant pattern; meaning that whoever inherits the faulty gene will develop the disease throughout their lifetime (Genetic Science LearningShow MoreRelated Huntingtons Disease Essay1715 Words   |  7 PagesHuntington’s disease is a degenerative neurological disorder affecting movement, cognition, and emotional state (Schoenstadt). There are two forms of Huntington’s disease (Sheth). The most common is adult-onset Huntington’s disease, with persons usually dev eloping symptoms in their middle 30s and 40s (Sheth). There is an early onset form of Huntington’s disease, beginning in childhood or adolescence, and makes up a small percentage of the Huntington’s population (Sheth). Huntington’s disease is aRead MoreEssay on Huntington’s Disease990 Words   |  4 Pagesand mental retardation. (Ridley, 55) Victims of this syndrome rarely live past the age of seven. The last and most interesting situation occurs when this gene becomes mutated. In this case, the individual will suffer from Huntington’s Chorea, a debilitating neurological disease which will not show its effects until mid-life. Because of this disorder, the gene is known as â€Å"The Huntington Gene,† though it has also been referred to as â€Å"The Wolf-Hirschorn Gene† and â€Å"IT15† meaning â€Å"Interesting TranscriptRead MoreHuntington’s Disease Essay787 Words   |  4 Pagesmuch about Huntington’s dise ase. After reading this paper and the subsequent ones to come, you surely will. According to PudMedHealth.com, â€Å"Huntington’s disease is a disorder passed down through families in which nerve cells in certain parts of the brain waste away or degenerate.† This can lead to many different complications to a person’s health. In most cases, the disease’s symptoms develop later in life during a person’s mid thirties-forties. There are also instances where the disease becomes on-setRead MoreEssay Huntingtons Disease1113 Words   |  5 PagesHuntingtons Disease Background Huntingtons disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant disease that gives rise to progressive, elective (localized) neural cell death associated with choleric movements (uncontrollable movements of the arms, legs, and face) and dementia. It is one of the more common inherited brain disorders. About 25,000 Americans have it and another 60,000 or so will carry the defective gene and will develop the disorder as they age. Physical deterioration occurs over a periodRead MoreResearch Paper on Huntingtons Disease1268 Words   |  6 PagesHuntington’s disease is a hereditary brain disorder that is progressive in neurodegeneration; which means, there is a loss of function and structures of one’s neurons. In the long run it results in the loss of both mental and physical control. The disease affects muscle coordination, cognition and behavior. It used to be known as Huntington’s chorea because it is the most common genetic disease that is the cause of abnormal twitching. Huntington s has an intense effect on patients, as individualsRead More Understanding Huntingtons Disease Essay1032 Words   |  5 PagesUnderstanding Huntingtons Disease Diagnosis of Huntingtons Disease Today, a blood test is available to diagnose a person displaying suspected Huntingtons symptoms. The test analyzes DNA in the blood sample and counts the number of times the genetic code for the mutated Huntingtons gene is repeated. Individuals with Huntingtons Disease usually have 40 or more such repeats; those without it, 28 or fewer. If the number of repeats falls somewhere in between then more extensive neurologicalRead MoreEssay about Huntingtons Disease979 Words   |  4 PagesHuntingtons Disease Huntingtons Disease is a genetic autosomal disorder which effects the brain. It affects about 1 in 20,000 individuals. The symptoms of the disease do not start to occur until after or around 40 years of age. With the onset of the disease the patient starts to gradually deteriorate intellectually, this deterioration also causes involuntary movements. Scientists have only recently found the section of the gene which causes Huntingtons disease, and this is allowed themRead MoreTaking a Look at Huntingtons Disease1745 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Huntington’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that is inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. The cytoplasmic protein affected in Huntington’s disease is Huntingtin, coded for by the Huntingtin gene. The mutated version of the Huntingtin protein has several degenerative consequences on the molecular level. These are mainly caused by the elongated chain of glutamines that abberantly interacts with proteins and diminishes their biological functions. The mutated protein alsoRead MoreEssay on Huntingtons Disease - An Overview1185 Words   |  5 PagesHuntingtons Disease - An Overview Huntingtons Disease is a devastating and progressive neurological disorder that resu lts primarily from degeneration of nerve cells deep in the center of the brain. The condition was first described by George Huntington, a physician in New York, in 1872. Even then, the physician recognized the all-encompassing factors of the disorder when describing it as, coming on gradually but surely, increasing by degrees, and often occupying years in its developmentRead MoreEssay on Understanding Huntingtons Disease2054 Words   |  9 PagesUnderstanding Huntingtons Disease Huntingtons disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder. It is passed on to children from one or both parents (though two parents with Huntingtons is extraordinarily rare) in an autosomal dominant manner. This is different from autosomal recessive disorder, which requires two altered genes (one from each parent) to inherit the disorder. So if one parent has it, and passes the gene on to a child, that child will develop Huntingtons disease if they live