Treatment Options For Huntington's Disease

Huntington’s disease is a type of progressive brain disorder characterized by emotional problems, uncontrolled movements, and loss of cognitive function. The most common form is the adult-onset type. Over time patients can find it difficult to walk and talk, and after the symptoms begin, those with this type generally live for fifteen to twenty years. While uncommon, there is also a juvenile type that typically starts to show signs during adolescence. This type tends to progress faster compared to the adult type, with the average adolescent patient living ten to fifteen years after symptoms begin. This is a genetic disease inherited through an autosomal dominant pattern. There is no cure, unfortunately, but there are treatments to enhance the patient's quality of life. Get to know some of these now.

Medication For Movement

The different movement disorders that are common with Huntington’s can often be at least partially treated with different medications and are almost always coupled with either physical or occupational therapy. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved one specific medication, referred to as tetrabenazine, for the involuntary movements Huntington's causes. Certain antipsychotic medications may also aid patients in controlling these movements. For example, haloperidol has movement suppression as a side effect, so it could be beneficial for Huntington’s patients. Other antipsychotics that might be considered include quetiapine and risperidone. Patients prescribed antipsychotics are monitored closely since these drugs have the potential to worsen other types of disease-related movements, muscle rigidity, and dystonia. Other medications that might be prescribed to lessen the abnormal movements include levetiracetam, amantadine, and clonazepam.

Continue for more on treatment options for Huntington's disease.

Antidepressants

Psychiatric disorders are not uncommon with Huntington’s disease, and the most common disorder in this category that patients experience is depression. This can happen due to realizing their diagnosis, though experts believe it is more likely that injury to the brain is the cause of the depression when it is associated with Huntington's disease. Brain function also changes as the disease progresses, which may also be a contributing factor.

Antidepressants are often prescribed to patients who experience depression as a symptom of Huntington’s disease. The medicines most commonly given include citalopram, fluoxetine, escitalopram, and sertraline. Obsessive-compulsive disorder is also possible with Huntington’s disease, and these medications might also be prescribed as treatment. Patients taking these medications should be monitored, and their doctor might also recommend psychotherapy as a complement to antidepressants.

Continue reading to learn about more options when it comes to treating Huntington's disease.