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Huntington's Disease
The story of Edgar Deleritas and his
struggle with Huntington's disease.
By: David Rush and Jon Berkebile
Description of the Disease
Huntington’s disease is a devastating,
degenerative, brain disorder, and is passed on
through hereditary. This disease causes the
death of the patient around 15-20 years after
the symptoms hit and has no treatments or
cure.
Edgar’s Symptoms
One day while Edgar was preparing dinner, he started having
some problems. Immediately after dinner he made a doctors
appointment for the very next day. The next day at the doctors
office, Edgar was asked what the problem was. Edgar told the doctor
he was experiencing symptoms of…
❖ Uncontrollable movement of the arms and legs.
❖ Loss of concentration and memory
❖ He also experienced some changes his mood including depression,
anxiety, and severe anger.
❖ Edgars wife, Claire, told the doctor that Edgar was asking the same
question multiple times.
❖ Also his wife told the doctor that many of his family members had
experienced similar symptoms and had been diagnosed with
Huntington’s.
❖ Lastly, Edgars
Communication Error
After Edgar told the doctor the symptoms he was still confused as
to what was causing these symptoms. The doctor then told Edgar that this was
caused by an inherited defect in a single gene. Huntington's disease is an
autosomal dominant disorder, which means that a person only needs one copy of
the defective gene to develop the disorder. It affects the the part of the brain
called the striatum.
Treatment
The doctor told Edgar that he was going to treat him by…
➔ No treatments can alter the course of Huntington's disease. But medications can
lessen some symptoms of movement and psychiatric disorders.
➔ Tetrabenazine, Antipsychotic drugs, amantadine, and levetiracetam are used to
help control the chorea (spasms of body parts)
➔ Antidepressants, Antipsychotic drugs, and Mood-stabilizing drugs help control
the psychiatric disorders caused by Huntington's. Also to help with the
psychiatric disorders patients will sometimes go to therapy for psychiatric help,
speech therapy and physical therapy.
These treatments are not cures; however, they can help him cope with the disease
that will forever change his life.
Prognosis
Huntington's disease causes disability that gets worse
over time. People with this disease tend to die within 15 to
20 years of the first symptoms. The two most common
causes of death because of this disease are infection and
suicide.
Extra Occupations Involved
Physical Therapist: Is needed to help patient with the spasms. A physical
therapist (PT) evaluates, diagnoses and treats patients with disorders that limit their
abilities to move or function normally in daily life. All PTs must be licensed by their
states. While each state has its own requirements, most require that candidates have
graduate degrees in physical therapy from accredited programs and pass the National
Physical Therapy Examination.
Therapist: Helps patient with psychological issues like mood swings or
depression. A therapist helps patients to deal with their emotions by talking to them.
They can prescribe drugs they think will help. You need a masters degree in order to
become a therapist, but a phd is recommended in order to secure a better job easier.
Citations
Striatum Picture: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Striatum
Info:
• Huntington's Disease. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2014,
from http://www.alz.org/dementia/huntingtons-diseasesymptoms.asp
• Huntington's Disease. (n.d.). Retrieved November 12, 2014,
from http://www.helpguide.org/articles/alzheimersdementia/huntingtons-disease.htm