Huntington’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder caused by a genetic mutation. The disease advances through five different stages that worsen over time and destroy brain cells that impair the sufferer’s functioning.
While hundreds of thousands of individuals currently live with this illness, very little progress has been made in research dedicated to slowing down or stopping the disease’s progression. Now, there isn’t much difference in the way it manifests from sex tone think background, but some recent research suggests it can be more severe in people who are female.
Huntington’s disease symptoms usually begin to show up between 30 and 50, with subtle behavioral and cognitive symptoms being the hallmark of the early stages. However, individuals will exhibit more severe issues with their swallowing, speech, and coordination with time. Let’s explore each stage in depth according to their symptomology.
Pre-Clinical Stage
Even before a person starts experiencing symptoms of Huntington’s disease, this illness can be detected via screening and biological testing. However, it is unlikely the individual will notice any changes in their day-to-day life. For many people, the pre-clinical stage of this disease can last more than 20 years, but the earlier your diagnosis, the earlier you can participate in clinical trials or plan for the progression of the disease.
If you do experience symptoms, they can span from depression and irritability to difficulty learning new things and poor coordination.
Early Stage
The early stages of HD are when physical symptoms begin to appear and when you’re considered to have active disease. For the most part, people at this stage can function pretty normally and take care of themselves by bathing, feeding, and driving themselves to work. However, the cognitive symptoms can begin to affect your relationships or the efficiency at which you work.
The symptoms can include poor coordination, challenges around problem-solving, involuntary twitching, and difficulty performing intricate movements.
Intermediate Stage
At this stage, HD symptoms begin to interfere more with daily life and can start straining one’s personal relationships. This stage can last approximately 13 years, and involuntary movements, twitching, and other physical symptoms will become more prevalent. The disease also progresses to the late intermediate stage, and sufferers’ symptoms will continue to increase in severity.
At this stage, individuals are likely to also experience:
- Mood swings
- Difficulty concentrating
- Challenges with performing motor tasks
- Difficulty walking
- Issues with memory loss
- Weight loss
- Falling
- Depression
Additionally, while there is no definite treatment course for those with Huntington’s, your physician may prescribe you medications such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, or Tetrabenazine, for example, to treat involuntary movements.
Advanced Stage
When an individual enters the early stages of Huntington’s, it takes about a decade, but up to 21 years for the disease to reach the advanced stages. At this point in the illness progression, individuals will need round-the-clock assistance with personal care, handling finances, and maintaining their homes. One could benefit from an in-home caretaker or feel more comfortable transitioning to an assisted-living facility. Toward the end, they may even need help with a feeding tube as swallowing becomes almost impossible.
At this point, people with HD may experience psychosis, severe cognitive decline, depression, and rigidity. They’ll also likely be nonverbal and bedridden; injuries from falls or viral infections such as pneumonia become more common as well. After 10-30 years since the beginning of a person’s symptoms is typically when they will pass away.
Receiving a Huntington’s diagnosis yourself or someone you love is painful and confusing. VisitBetterHelpfor a library of resources on coping with this major life event.