Huntington’s disease

The damage to the brain gets worse over time. It can affect movement, cognition (perception, awareness, thinking, judgement) and mental health.



The condition gradually gets worse for around 10-25 years, until the person dies.

Early symptoms

Behavioural changes are often the first symptoms of Huntington’s disease. These changes often include:

a lack of emotions and not recognising the needs of others periods of aggression, excitement, depression, antisocial behaviour and anger apathy – causing a person to appear lazy or have a lack of interest in hygiene and self care difficulty concentrating on more than one task and handling complex situations irritability and impulsiveness

Speak to your GP if: you’re worried you might have early symptoms of Huntington’s disease, especially if there’s a history of the condition in your family

Later symptoms

Further symptoms of Huntington’s might include:

psychiatric problems – some people develop obsessive behaviours, delusional thoughts or behaviours, stubborness, lack of self awareness, or suicidal thoughts uncontrollable movements of the face, jerking, clicking or fidgety movements of the limbs and body difficulty eating because the mouth and throat muscles don’t work properly which can lead to choking and chest infections communication problems – difficulty putting thoughts into words and slurring of speech sexual problems – a loss of interest in sex or making inappropriate sexual demands balance problems

In the later stages of Huntington’s disease, the person will need full nursing care.

Death is usually from a secondary cause, like pneumonia or another infection.

You might find the palliative care section useful if you’re caring for someone who’s dying, or if you want to plan your end of life care.

Symptoms

People can start to show the symptoms of Huntington’s disease at almost any age. Most will develop problems between the ages of 30 and 50.

The condition gradually gets worse for around 10-25 years, until the person dies.

Early symptoms

Behavioural changes are often the first symptoms of Huntington’s disease. These changes often include:

a lack of emotions and not recognising the needs of others periods of aggression, excitement, depression, antisocial behaviour and anger apathy – causing a person to appear lazy or have a lack of interest in hygiene and self care difficulty concentrating on more than one task and handling complex situations irritability and impulsiveness

Speak to your GP if: you’re worried you might have early symptoms of Huntington’s disease, especially if there’s a history of the condition in your family

Later symptoms

Further symptoms of Huntington’s might include:

psychiatric problems – some people develop obsessive behaviours, delusional thoughts or behaviours, stubborness, lack of self awareness, or suicidal thoughts uncontrollable movements of the face, jerking, clicking or fidgety movements of the limbs and body difficulty eating because the mouth and throat muscles don’t work properly which can lead to choking and chest infections communication problems – difficulty putting thoughts into words and slurring of speech sexual problems – a loss of interest in sex or making inappropriate sexual demands balance problems

In the later stages of Huntington’s disease, the person will need full nursing care.

Death is usually from a secondary cause, like pneumonia or another infection.

You might find the palliative care section useful if you’re caring for someone who’s dying, or if you want to plan your end of life care.