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"Resources" on this report.
Copyright 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007
Synonyms of Huntington's Disease
- Chronic Progressive Chorea
- Degenerative Chorea
- HD
- Hereditary Chorea
- Hereditary Chronic Progressive Chorea
- Huntington's Chorea
- VEOHD
- Very Early Onset Huntington's Disease
- Woody Guthrie's Disease
Disorder Subdivisions
General Discussion
Huntington's disease is a genetic, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the gradual development of involuntary muscle movements affecting the hands, feet, face, and trunk and progressive deterioration of cognitive processes and memory (dementia). Neurologic movement abnormalities may include uncontrolled, irregular, rapid, jerky movements (chorea) and athetosis, a condition characterized by relatively slow, writhing involuntary movements. Dementia is typically associated with progressive disorientation and confusion, personality disintegration, impairment of memory control, restlessness, agitation, and other symptoms and findings. In individuals with the disorder, disease duration may range from approximately 10 years up to 25 years or more. Life-threatening complications may result from pneumonia or other infections, injuries related to falls, or other associated developments.
Huntington's disease is transmitted as an autosomal dominant trait. The disease results from changes (mutations) of a gene known as "huntingtin" located on the short arm (p) of chromosome 4 (4p16.3). In those with the disorder, the huntingtin gene contains errors in the coded "building blocks" (nucleotide bases) that make up the gene's instructions. The gene contains abnormally long repeats of coded instructions consisting of the basic chemicals cytosine, adenine, and guanine (CAG trinucleotide repeat expansion). The length of the expanded repeats may affect the age at symptom onset. The specific symptoms and physical features associated with Huntington's disease result from degeneration of nerve cells (neurons) within certain areas of the brain (e.g., basal ganglia, cerebral cortex).
Organizations related to Huntington's Disease
- Advocacy for Neuroacanthocytosis Patients
32 Launceston Place
London None W8 5RN
Phone #: +44- (0-) 20 7937 2938
800 #: N/A
e-mail: glenn@naadvocacy.org
Home page: http://www.naadvocacy.org
- Alzheimer's Foundation of America
322 8th Ave, 7th Floor
New York NY 10001
Phone #: 866-232-8484
800 #: 866-232-8484
e-mail: info@alzfdn.org
Home page: http://www.alzfdn.org
- Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg MD 20898-8126
Phone #: 301-251-4925
800 #: 888-205-2311
e-mail: ordr@od.nih.gov
Home page: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/Default.aspx
- Hereditary Disease Foundation
3960 Broadway
6th Floor
New York NY 10032
Phone #: 212-928-2121
800 #: --
e-mail: cures@hdfoundation.org
Home page: http://www.hdfoundation.org
- Huntington Society of Canada
151 Frederick St, Suite 400
Kitchner
Ontario Intl N2H 2M2
Phone #: 519-749-7063
800 #: 800-998-7398
e-mail: info@hsc-ca.org
Home page: http://www.huntington
- Huntington's Disease Society of America
505 Eighth Avenue
Suite 902
New York NY 10018
Phone #: 212-242-1968
800 #: 800-345-4372
e-mail: info@hdsa.org
Home page: http://www.hdsa.org
- MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network
150 Custer Court
Green Bay WI 54301-1243
Phone #: 920-336-5333
800 #: 877-336-5333
e-mail: mums@netnet.net
Home page: http://www.netnet.net/mums/
- Madisons Foundation
PO Box 241956
Los Angeles CA 90024
Phone #: 310-264-0826
800 #: N/A
e-mail: getinfo@madisonsfoundation.org
Home page: http://www.madisonsfoundation.org
- March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation
1275 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains NY 10605
Phone #: 914-997-4488
800 #: 888-663-4637
e-mail: Askus@marchofdimes.com
Home page: http://www.marchofdimes.com
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
P.O. Box 5801
Bethesda MD 20824
Phone #: 301-496-5751
800 #: 800-352-9424
e-mail: me20t@nih.gov
Home page: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
- New Horizons Un-Limited, Inc.
811 East Wisconsin Ave
Suite 937
Milwaukee WI 53202
Phone #: 414-299-0124
800 #: N/A
e-mail: horizons@new-horizons.org
Home page: http://www.new-horizons.org
- Sjældne Diagnoser / Rare Disorders Denmark
Frederiksholms Kanal 2, 3rd Floor
Copenhagen K None 1220
Phone #: 45 -33 -14 00 10
800 #: N/A
e-mail: mail@sjaeldnediagnoser
Home page: http://www.raredisorders.dk
- UCSF Memory and Aging Center
350 Parnassus Avenue
Suite 706
San Francisco CA 94117
Phone #: 415-476-6800
800 #: N/A
e-mail: N/A
Home page: http://memory.ucsf.edu
- WE MOVE (Worldwide Education and Awareness for Movement Disorders)
204 West 84th Street
New York NY 10024
Phone #: 212-875-8312
800 #: N/A
e-mail: wemove@wemove.org
Home page: http://www.wemove.org
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