Chorea in Huntington’s Disease (HD)
Understanding Chorea in HD
Huntington's Disease is an inherited disorder which affects the brain and causes certain nerve cells in the brain to die. While born with the gene, symptoms do not usually occur until middle age. Chorea is an involuntary (not controlled by the individual) movement disorder and is the most visible symptom in Huntington's Disease (HD).
Symptoms of Chorea in HD
Chorea in Huntington’s disease (HD) causes involuntary movements (brief, abrupt, irregular, and unpredictable). The patient will often appear as fidgety.
Diagnosing Chorea in HD
Chorea can occur in conditions other than Huntington’s disease. Huntington’s disease is diagnosed by a blood test for the HD gene.
Treating Chorea in HD
Tetrabenazine (e.g., Xenazine®) is an FDA-approved drug used to treat the involuntary movements (chorea) of Huntington's disease. Tetrabenazine does not treat other symptoms of Huntington's disease. Another drug, deutetrabenazine (Austedo®) is also FDA-approved for treatment of Huntington’s chorea.
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