The term "chorea" means by a movement disorder in a random, jerky and irregular movements, which the patient is unable to fully control consciously. Huntington's disease is named after an American psychiatrist, who described it first, and refers to a hereditary progressive disease. Typically, one parent, there are signs of the disease, expressed to a greater or lesser degree.
The first symptoms of Huntington's disease usually appear in 30-50 years, and in rare cases can start in childhood. More common in men. Anatomically, this disease revealed some changes to the brain - reducing its volume, expansion of brain ventricles. It is assumed that the loss of some nerve nuclei in the brain in this disease leads to a weakening of the inhibitory effect of the cortex to the muscles and motor nerves. As a result, you may experience erratic movements - trochaic hyperkinesis. main symptoms are exactly hyperkinesis, as well as gradually increasing dementia.
Involuntary movements develop gradually. In patients having involuntary grimaces, gestures increased, staggering when walking, tremor of hands and other body parts during movement. Severity of these disorders is gradually increasing. In the initial stages of the disease patients may partially or completely suppress these movements will power. However, with the progression of the pathological process, difficulties in self-service - it's hard to eat or dress themselves without assistance due to hyperkinesis. Implementation of any motor act is accompanied by a mass of extra small movements. Thus, it is difficult, because during the conversation there grimaces, sighs, smacking of lips lips and tongue, and other unwanted traffic. Also, when you walk each step accompanied by nodding or waving his arms, staggering from side to side. Hyperkinesis gradually grow and affect more and more large muscle groups. The exceptions are the muscles that move the eyeballs in which hyperkinesis is not developing. The function of other organs, as well as the sensitivity of the skin and muscles are not disrupted.
Mental disorders tend to appear already in the later stages of the disease, against a background of pronounced hyperkinesis, but sometimes it can develop at the same time with them. First, mental disorders are expressed in increased irritability, reduced memory and attention, some flattening of emotion. Perhaps delusional thoughts on current events, as well as suicidal thoughts. In the subsequent develop dementia.
In the treatment of Huntington's Chorea is mainly used psychotropic drugs from the group of neuroleptics, whose purpose is to reduce the movement disorder, and irritability, and correct the violation of the emotion.
