Essay on Huntingtons Disease - An Overview - 1185 Words

Huntingtons Disease - An Overview Huntingtons Disease is a devastating and progressive neurological disorder that resu lts primarily from degeneration of nerve cells deep in the center of the brain. The condition was first described by George Huntington, a physician in New York, in 1872. Even then, the physician recognized the all-encompassing factors of the disorder when describing it as, coming on gradually but surely, increasing by degrees, and often occupying years in its development until the hapless sufferer is but a quivering wreck of his former self. The three most profound behavioral problems in Huntington s disease come from the uncontrollable movements called chorea, dementia, and the altered perception of the†¦show more content†¦However, even as the disease progresses, people with the disorder almost always recognize their families, are aware of the situation, and have the ability to understand . Death usually occurs by aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, or heart failure. At present, there is no cure for the disease, but dynamic progress has been made as researchers explore this illness. HD is inherited as an autosomal dominant condition. In March 1993, scientists realized that HD is caused by a mutation in a gene located on chromosome 4. This gene has a unique genetic sequence for CAG (cytosine-adenine-guanine) and codes for the amino acid glutamine, a building block for the huntingtin pr otein. Normal individuals have this sequence duplicated from 11 to 40 times in their genetic coding without having symptoms of HD. However, individuals with the disease have from 40 up to 100 repeated CAG segments. Juvenile Huntingtons Disease occurs wit h 60 or more repeats, linking the longer chains of CAG sequences to earlier and more aggressive onset of the disease. Current research revolves around the transgenic mouse model developed in Berlin at the Max Planck Institute. The model was made by p utting the first part of the HD gene, containing the long stutters of CAG repeats, into a mouse, and it was discovered that two months later the mice began to exhibit theShow MoreRelatedSymptoms And Treatment Of Huntington s Disease1263 Words   |  6 Pages The name Huntington’s disease comes from an American physician, George Huntington (see figure 1), after he was the first person to give an official description of the disease in 1872 (Bhattacharyya, 2016). In Canada alone, more than 21 000 individuals have been affected by Huntington’s Disease, an incurable illness that results in death typically between 15-20 years after diagnosis (Scrivener, 2013). This disease causes both physical and mental changes in an individual, therefore completely changingRead MoreHuntington’s Disease Essay787 Words   |  4 Pagesmuch about Huntington’s disease. After reading this paper and the subsequent ones to come, you surely will. According to PudMedHealth.com, â€Å"Huntington’s disease is a disorder passed down through families in which nerve cells in certain parts of the brain waste away or degenerate.† This can lead to many different complications to a person’s health. In most cases, the diseaseâ⠂¬â„¢s symptoms develop later in life during a person’s mid thirties-forties. There are also instances where the disease becomes on-setRead MoreEssay Huntingtons Disease1113 Words   |  5 PagesHuntingtons Disease Background Huntingtons disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant disease that gives rise to progressive, elective (localized) neural cell death associated with choleric movements (uncontrollable movements of the arms, legs, and face) and dementia. It is one of the more common inherited brain disorders. About 25,000 Americans have it and another 60,000 or so will carry the defective gene and will develop the disorder as they age. Physical deterioration occurs over a periodRead MoreThe Common Fruit Fly Drosophila Melanogaster913 Words   |  4 PagesAssignment 3: Eyes in flies: An overview of the cinnabar gene and its relation to Huntington s disease† Introduction The common fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster is often regarded as the model organism for genetic testing due to many factors such as its short reproductive cycle, its similarities to humans, or the ease of tracking mutations in Drosophila melanogaster. The Drosophila melanogaster is used to model diseases such as Cancer, Diabetes, and Huntington’s Disease. By studying the changes in howRead MoreAre Antisense Oligonucleotides and Effective Trearment for Huntingtons Disease1486 Words   |  6 Pagestreatments has already been seen in other disease, such as Vitravene (or Fomivirsen), which was the first ASO made publicly available, and is used to treat cytomegalovirus retinitis, as well as Isis 3521 which when given to lung cancer patients in addition to combination chemotherapy has been seen to raise life expectancy by as much as 50%[2]. From these past successes, many have hypothesised that they might make an effective treatment for Huntington’s disease (HD) as well, wh ich currently we are onlyRead MoreAnnotated Bibliography On Understanding Genetics Essay884 Words   |  4 Pagesand Rheumatology at Georgetown University Medical School in Washington, DC. This web page is helpful in identifying the cause of the Agammaglobulinemia disorder. Bittles, A. H., Black, M. L. (2010). Consanguinity, human evolution, and complex diseases. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 107(suppl 1), 1779–1786. http://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0906079106 Bittles is an Adjunct Professor and Research Leader at Murdoch University in Australia and is the author of the book â€Å"ConsanguinityRead MoreStem Cells Essay1699 Words   |  7 Pagesunsuccessful trials to find a cure for diseases and disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and/or Parkinson’s disease, it seems like scientific research has provided us with a hope for these diseases. This essay will address the issue of controversial research in stem cells. This technology offers hope to millions who are victims of a multitude of diseases and disorders. It can be used to regrow limbs, create organs, attack genetic diseases, treat malfunctioning bladders, etc.Read MoreHuntingtonS Disease . Our Bodies And The Functions Of1381 Words   |  6 Pages Huntington s Disease Our bodies and the functions of our body parts work in cohesion. Some systems include but not limited too cardiovascular, urinary, respiratory, digestive, endocrine, reproductive, and most importantly the nervous system. The central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system consist of all the nerves that branch off of the brain and spinal cord. With those systems we have the sensory division and the motor division alsoRead MoreI Am Working As A Family Health Nurse And Counseling A Married Couple Essay1054 Words   |  5 Pagesmarried couple who are seeking my advice because they are both carriers for Huntington’s disease. As a nurse it’s my responsibility to not let personal feelings or values influence the counseling that I provide to families. When working with this couple, it’s important to understand what they hope to gain from the appointment, so I would start by asking what their goals are for the visit. I would also present an overview the services that we offer such as assessment for genetic risks, genetic testingRead MoreGenetic Testing and The Diagnosis of Genetic Diseases Essay example1095 Words   |  5 PagesGenetic testing is used to determine the risk of a patient or patient’s offspring developing genetic diseases. This is done with DNA sequencing in adults and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PDG) on embryos. These methods of genetic testing are effective means of determining the likelihood of developing diseases such as Huntington’s disease, a disease resulting from trinucleotide repeat on chromosome 4p16.3 that causes uncontrollable muscle movement and decrease in cognitive function. However