What is it?
It is a hereditary brain disorder which results in the destruction of brain cells. This disease is caused by a genetic defect which is passed down from generation to generation. The degeneration of brain cells is the cause of the symptoms of Huntington’s and can force someone to lose his/her personality, and ultimately their life. George Huntington was the first person to address the disease, at the Academy of Medicine at Middleport, Ohio in 1872. George Huntington’s Studies were way ahead of his time and noticed many things that made this disease Unique. One of the things he noticed was the diseases hereditary nature, meaning that it is unlikely to get the disease unless a relative has it. He noticed that the patients with the disease had tendency to insanity and suicide.
As you can see the Brain on the right is of a normal person, while the brain on the left is a MRI photo of a patient with Huntington’s disease. There is a clear difference in the two. The one on the left looks like there is part of the brain missing.
09
Dec
09
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