UPSC Articles
Huntington disease
Part of: GS Prelims and GS-II- Health
- Huntington disease (HD) is a progressive genetic disorder affecting the brain
- It causes uncontrolled movements, impaired coordination of balance and movement, a decline in cognitive abilities, difficulty in concentrating and memory lapses, mood swings and personality changes
How is the disease caused?
- A gene called HTT are involved in the production of a protein called huntingtin.
- When these genes mutate, they provide faulty instructions leading to production of abnormal huntingtin proteins and these form into clumps.
- The clumps disrupt the normal functioning of the brain cells, which eventually leads to death of neurons in the brain, resulting in Huntington disease.
