Huntington’s disease (HD) is a 100% genetically determined disorder which causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. It typically starts in a person's 30s or 40s. HD is known as the quintessential family disease because every child of a parent with HD has a 50/50 chance of inheriting the faulty gene.
The symptoms of HD are described as having ALS, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s – simultaneously. HD manifests as a triad of motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms which begin insidiously and progress over many years.
No cure exists, but drugs, physical therapy, and talk therapy can help manage some symptoms.