Huntington’s Disease and Dementia

Talk to your doctor if you or someone close to you has symptoms of dementia related to Huntington’s Disease.

Huntington's disease is a progressive brain disorder that creates a progressive decline in thinking and memory, uncontrolled movements of the body, and changes in mood and behaviour.

A gene on chromosome four can cause Huntington's disease, which may or may not be inherited. The symptoms of this disease typically appear between the ages of 30 and 50, although they can appear as early as age two or as late as 80.

Symptoms

  • Uncontrolled movement of the arms, legs, head, face and upper body
  • Significant decline in thinking and reasoning (memory, concentration, judgment, and the ability to plan and organize)
  • Alterations in mood, especially depression, anxiety and unusual anger and irritability
  • Obsessive-compulsive behaviour (a person repeats an action or a question repeatedly)