Described in 1872 by Long Island physician Dr. George Huntington, the condition came to be known as Huntington's Chorea, a reference to the dance-like, or choreic , movements which are often its most visible characteristic. Early symptoms may include depression, mood swings, forgetfulness, and lack of coordination. As brain cells become depleted in a part of the brain called the basal ganglia, the severity of symptoms increases. Personality changes may appear, along with decreased mental capability, slurred speech, and memory loss. In the final stages, the patient is toally dependent on others for all aspects of care.
Death results from complications such as infection, pneumonia, or heart failure.
A Disease of Families For generations, Huntington's Disease was regarded as a mysterious and shameful affliction. Families were stigmatized by the disease and shunned by the community. Today, however, HD is recognized as one of the more common genetic diseases. Huntington's Disease affects males and females of all races and can strike at any age, though it usually appears between 30 and 50, after a person has married, had children, and passed on the affected gene. Each child of a person with HD has a fifty-fifty chance of inheriting the Huntington's gene.