IMPACTS OF HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE (HD)

3074 WORDS

Huntington’s disease has been in existence for many years. People used to mistake it for other conditions such as for Parkinson’s disease or possession by the evil spirit. As a result, an incorrect measure of dealing with the disease was used. A scientific breakthrough, for instance, the discovery of the gene that is associated with the disease formed a milestone upon establishing the correct measures to take. It also allowed early diagnosis so that people can be able to receive better care. The prevalence of the disease is low in many areas, but a particular region in Venezuela has recorded a substantial number of people suffering from the disease. Advancement in technology has allowed for pretest in this area, and since it was identified to be a hereditary disease, then people are advised how they could be able to control the disease. One control measure that has been taken into account, includes using odd contraceptives to control the population in the area. Apart from the stated objectives, the paper will explore the impacts which Huntington’s Disease has had and continues effecting on the human population.

Huntington’s disease (HD) refers to an autosomal disorder which leads to the progressive damage of the brain in late adulthood and subsequent brain atrophy. The area of the brain affected is responsible for a person’s body movements thus the disease plays a crucial role in the movement. The degeneration of the brain results to movement problems for instance chorea, dystonia, and incoordination’s among others. Huntington’s disease was first discovered as an inherited disorder by a twenty-two year old American doctor in the year 1872. George Huntington was the man responsible for the discovery of the disease, and it was later named after him. In the first paper he wrote about the infamous disease, he referred to it as Chorea. Huntington’s paper was published in the Medical and Surgical Reporter in the same year, and the disease at that time was referred to as Huntington’s Chorea. The word “Chorea” was derived from the Greek and Latin word which means a group of dances or the chorus. Chorea was given as a name to refer to a group of disorders without known cures at the time that were discovered during the middle ages. Twitching and involuntary muscle jerks are characteristics of the Huntington’s Disorder, and these kinds of movements caused havoc on those who were present during prior centuries. For instance, during the pre-medically advanced days, people wit