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Huntington’s Disease in the Prime of Life
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- University of Maryland Medical Center
Huntington's disease (HD) is a rare genetic illness typically plaguing adults in the prime of life. This capricious and untimely disorder takes over motor skills, slowly deteriorating one’s normal functioning capabilities. This Patient Power program is one of three in a special edition series focusing on Huntington’s disease. Why does this disease vary in its rate of progression? What age should one expect HD onset? Are there lifestyle factors that play a role? While these questions are ever-present, fortunately we have experts like Dr. Karen Anderson, a Neuropsychiatrist at the University of Maryland Medical Center to answer your questions about coping with HD in the prime of life and separate myth from fact.
We begin this program with patient Allen Doggett, a 47-year-old former economist now on disability. Mr. Doggett always feared he might have HD someday because his mother and grandfather both had the HD gene. Allen decided to put all doubt aside and took a genetic test in 1992 and later found out he had the HD gene. Ironically, his sister tested and she was negative. Allen noticed onset of HD in 2004. His main symptoms are speech difficulties and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Despite his condition, Allen enjoys traveling and helping other people who have disabilities. Allen story is a prime example of a well-educated stable adult who, unfortunately, experienced HD onset in the prime of his life.
Dr. Karen Anderson helps us to understand how Huntington's disease impacts adults in the prime of life, how it is being diagnosed, social issues surrounding this illness and help for psychiatric symptoms. You’ll also hear about the HD study called COHORT and expert answers to complex questions. Dr. Anderson insists HD patients need not be discouraged, but rather remain hopeful.
In Dr. Anderson’s own words, “With a lot of the new psychiatric medications and with a better understanding of brain function, I think we are now able to do a lot more to help people who have severe depression, severe anger outbursts, severe irritability. By “help” I don’t just mean medicate to sedate them, which is what used to be done in a lot of cases, but to really improve things so that someone can enjoy what they are able to do and enjoy time with their families without these sorts of outbursts.”
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Karen Anderson, M.D
Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of Maryland Medical Center
Dr. Anderson is assistant professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Maryland Medical Center. Her special interests include, Huntington's disease and psychiatric conditions associated with movement disorders. She received her medical degree from University of Chicago Pritzker Medical School and completed her residency at Columbia Universities prestigious, NY State Psychiatric Institute.
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Allen Doggett,
Adult with Huntington's Disease
Mr. Doggett always feared he might have HD someday, since his mother and grandfather both had the HD gene. Allen decided to put all doubt aside and took a genetic test in 1992. Allen later found out he had the HD gene, ironically, his sister tested and she was negative. Allen noticed onset of HD in 2004. His main symptoms...
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