Huntington’s disease is a devastating and progressive neurological disease that results in physiological and psychological disorders.
In 1872, an American physician George Huntington identified an illness as chorea, a Greek translation for choreography or dance, which explained how people affected with this disorder would constantly twist, turn and distort their bodies in a constant, uncontrollable dance-like fashion (Huntington 's Disease: Hope Through Research). Later, the disease was called hereditary chorea showing how the disease passes from generation to generation (Huntington 's Disease: Hope Through Research). The disease was then known as chronic progressive chorea emphasizing how symptoms of this disease worsen over time (Huntington …show more content…
It belongs to a group of neurological disorders called dyskinesia (Sho-Leong Ho). Dyskinesia is a movement disorder in which the person gradually loses control of their voluntary actions with their body (Sho-Leong Ho). This state of restlessness is severely affected by all motor movements in an individual and grows incredibly fast as the person ages. The disease it now called Huntington’s Disease (HD) (Huntington’s Disease: Hope Through Research). Huntington’s disease is a disease passed from generation to generation that associates with progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the brain. The progressive breakdown leads to the death of these brain cells. Huntington’s disease affects the functional abilities that lead to movements, cognitive and psychiatric disorders (Babu). The Huntington’s disease is very common among people who are between the age of 30-45, but the development of the disease can occur much earlier in life, this is known as juvenile Huntington’s disease (Huntington Disease). Huntington’s disease results from the genetic mutations that take place in the nerve cells that are known as neurons in the brain (Huntington 's Disease: Hope Through Research). The mutation of the nerve cells causes them to degenerate. In the brain, the most affected cells are those of the basal ganglia and the part of the brain that are responsible for movements …show more content…
The HTT gene was known as the IT15 (interesting transcript 15) which codes for a protein called the huntingtin protein (Htt) (Interesting Transcript 15). This gene has a repeated section called a trinucleotide repeat which is combined to make a codon (Huntington Disease). A codon has three bases on an mRNA molecule that code for a particular amino acid. While a normal person has less than 26 repeated codons, a person with this disease has more (Interesting Transcript 15). When the length of this repeated section reaches more than 36 consecutive series, it produces an altered form of the protein, mutant Huntingtin protein (mHtt). This type of mutation changes the decay rate for certain neurons (Interesting Transcript 15). The gene only affects some neurons and hence not all of the parts of the brain. Depending on how many repeated codons the person has it will determine the severity of the disease. A person with 40 or more repeated codons for this gene will have a severe Huntington disease (Huntington Disease). While the primary purpose for the Huntingtin protein (Htt) is unclear, it certainly interacts with proteins found in cell signaling, intracellular transporting and transcription (Interesting Transcript 15). There are multiple cellular changes through which the wrong function of mHtt may manifest and produce the Huntington Disease pathology. During the biological process and
In 1872, an American physician George Huntington identified an illness as chorea, a Greek translation for choreography or dance, which explained how people affected with this disorder would constantly twist, turn and distort their bodies in a constant, uncontrollable dance-like fashion (Huntington 's Disease: Hope Through Research). Later, the disease was called hereditary chorea showing how the disease passes from generation to generation (Huntington 's Disease: Hope Through Research). The disease was then known as chronic progressive chorea emphasizing how symptoms of this disease worsen over time (Huntington …show more content…
It belongs to a group of neurological disorders called dyskinesia (Sho-Leong Ho). Dyskinesia is a movement disorder in which the person gradually loses control of their voluntary actions with their body (Sho-Leong Ho). This state of restlessness is severely affected by all motor movements in an individual and grows incredibly fast as the person ages. The disease it now called Huntington’s Disease (HD) (Huntington’s Disease: Hope Through Research). Huntington’s disease is a disease passed from generation to generation that associates with progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the brain. The progressive breakdown leads to the death of these brain cells. Huntington’s disease affects the functional abilities that lead to movements, cognitive and psychiatric disorders (Babu). The Huntington’s disease is very common among people who are between the age of 30-45, but the development of the disease can occur much earlier in life, this is known as juvenile Huntington’s disease (Huntington Disease). Huntington’s disease results from the genetic mutations that take place in the nerve cells that are known as neurons in the brain (Huntington 's Disease: Hope Through Research). The mutation of the nerve cells causes them to degenerate. In the brain, the most affected cells are those of the basal ganglia and the part of the brain that are responsible for movements …show more content…
The HTT gene was known as the IT15 (interesting transcript 15) which codes for a protein called the huntingtin protein (Htt) (Interesting Transcript 15). This gene has a repeated section called a trinucleotide repeat which is combined to make a codon (Huntington Disease). A codon has three bases on an mRNA molecule that code for a particular amino acid. While a normal person has less than 26 repeated codons, a person with this disease has more (Interesting Transcript 15). When the length of this repeated section reaches more than 36 consecutive series, it produces an altered form of the protein, mutant Huntingtin protein (mHtt). This type of mutation changes the decay rate for certain neurons (Interesting Transcript 15). The gene only affects some neurons and hence not all of the parts of the brain. Depending on how many repeated codons the person has it will determine the severity of the disease. A person with 40 or more repeated codons for this gene will have a severe Huntington disease (Huntington Disease). While the primary purpose for the Huntingtin protein (Htt) is unclear, it certainly interacts with proteins found in cell signaling, intracellular transporting and transcription (Interesting Transcript 15). There are multiple cellular changes through which the wrong function of mHtt may manifest and produce the Huntington Disease pathology. During the biological process and