Genotype

Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant disorder, which means that a person needs only one copy of the defective gene to develop the disorder. With the exception of genes on the sex chromosomes, a person inherits two copies of every gene one copy from each parent. Normally, people with this disorder have a heterozygous genotype, because if they inherit the homozygous dominant genotype, they usually die right away at birth or in early childhood. If a heterozygous parent with the disease conceives with a homozygous recessive parent, then there is a 50% chance of inheriting the gene that causes the genetic disorder.

Causes
The disorder is caused by a mutation on Chromosome 4 which causes extra replication. This leads to fact that the disease is autosomal, not sex-linked. What happens is that on Chromosome 4, DNA is replicated more than usual. On a person without the disease, the DNA amino acid CAG is repeated 10 to 28 times. On a person with the disease, the DNA amino acid CAG is repeated 36 to 120 times. This is called a CAG repeat. The number of times the sequence is repeated indicates the level of the disease.

Phenotypic Effects
The phenotypic effects of Huntingtons disease normally become apparent in the 30s and 40s. There are two types of classifications of the disease: early onset and adult onset. When disease onset begins before age 20, the condition is called juvenile Huntington's disease. Adult onset is the more common type. Huntingtons disease mentally causes mood swings and depression. It may also affect judgment, memory, and cognitive functions. This is also a reason as to why people with Huntingtons disease develop dementia. If a person has early onset Huntingtons disease, they may have seizures and mental disabilities along with changes in behavior.

Movement
Involuntary jerking or writhing movements (chorea) Involuntary, sustained contracture of muscles (dystonia) Muscle rigidity Slow, uncoordinated fine movements Difficulty with the physical production of speech

Cognitive

Psychiatric

Lack of flexibility, or the Insomnia or excessive tendency to get stuck on a sleeping thought, behavior or action (perseveration) Lack of impulse control Frequent thoughts of death, dying or suicide Lack of awareness of one's own behaviors and abilities Difficulty in learning new information Lack of awareness of one's own behaviors and abilities Feelings of sadness or unhappiness Feelings of worthlessness or guilt Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Mania, Bipolar Disorder

Carriers
There are no carriers of Huntingtons disease because it is autosomal dominant. This means that you either have it or you dont. as generations pass, it becomes more common to inherit the disease.

Treatment
No treatments can alter the course of Huntington's disease. But medications can lessen some symptoms of movement and psychiatric disorders. Multiple interventions can help a person adapt to changes in his or her abilities for a certain amount of time. The only medications relative to the disease that may help are dopamine blockers to reduce abnormal behavior and movement, amantadine and tetrabenanzine to control movement, and in some studies Co-enzyme Q10 may help slow down the course of the disease. Basically, the only medications for the disease are medicines that reduce symptoms of the disease. Anti-depressants are also recommended for patients with the disease. But on the other hand, drugs to treat some symptoms may result in side effects that worsen other symptoms

Passing Down the Disease

This disease cannot be prevented and usually not avoided because there is a 50% chance of inheriting it. However, parents may meet with a genetic counselor and do a blood test to see if

they have a chance of passing it down. If they do, they can go for adoption or assisted fertilization.