Surprise finding sheds light on what causes Huntington's disease, a devastating fatal brain disorder
Scientists are unraveling the mystery of what triggers Huntington’s disease, a devastating and fatal hereditary disorder that strikes in the prime of life, causing nerve cells in parts of the brain to break down and die.
New findings shed light on cause of Huntington's disease progression
A new study of nerve cells affected by Huntington’s disease (HD) reveals that the disease-causing gene slowly expands over time, but doesn't start causing harm until it hits a toxic threshold that rapidly leads to the nerve cell’s death.
Study finds surprising way that genetic mutation causes Huntington's disease, transforming understanding of the disorder
Scientists have discovered a surprising mechanism by which the inherited genetic mutation known to cause Huntington's disease leads to the death of brain cells. The findings change the understanding of the fatal neurodegenerative disorder and suggest potential ways to delay or even prevent it.
New Understanding of How Genetic Mutation Causes Huntington’s Disease
Study explains long-standing question of why Huntington’s disease symptoms typically do not appear until midlife even though patients are born with the mutation. Analyses reveal that the repeated DNA sequence driving the disease expands slowly over decades in certain brain cells and then rapidly lengthens and kills the cell.
A better understanding of Huntington’s disease brings hope
But Huntington’s second, self-preserving, oddity is that unlike most genetic disorders it rarely manifests until well into adulthood, giving plenty of time for it to be passed on. The result is families where half the members are living under premature death sentences.
New Research Sheds Light on the Causes of Huntington’s Disease
If you’ve ever heard of Huntington’s disease, you know how devastating it can be. This hereditary brain disorder slowly robs people of their ability to think, move, and even communicate. The disease’s progression is relentless,
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Brain Changes Emerge Decades Before Huntington's Diagnosis
Changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neurofilament light (NfL) protein and proenkephalin (PENK) emerged decades before ...
Experts hail 'milestone' in study of the deadly Huntington's disease
About 2,000 people in Australia are affected by Huntington's disease, a fatal and incurable condition that affects the ...
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Huntington’s neurodegeneration starts at 150 repeat expansions
Having 35 copies of the CAG triplet in the gene that causes Huntington’s disease is not a problem. Inheriting 40 could be a ...
Brain changes in Huntington’s disease decades before diagnosis will guide future prevention trials
Subtle changes in the brain, detectable through advanced imaging, blood and spinal fluid analysis, happen approximately twenty years before a clinical motor diagnosis in people with Huntington’s ...
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Early brain changes in Huntington’s disease detected two decades before symptoms
Subtle changes in the brain, detectable through advanced imaging, blood and spinal fluid analysis, happen approximately twenty years before a clinical motor diagnosis in people with Huntington's ...
Scientists Unveil First Detailed Image of Huntington’s Disease Fibrils
Researchers mapped the unique structure of protein clumps in Huntington's disease, opening doors to better diagnostics and ...
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Groundbreaking discoveries in the fight against Huntington's disease
University of Bergen researcher Markus Miettinen is among the first scientists to provide a detailed description of protein ...
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Studies reveal a new biology of Huntington’s, renewing drugmaker interest in therapies
A new study highlights the potential of a therapeutic strategy focused on stopping or slowing Huntington's disease.