Identification of Huntington's disease

Huntington's disease is an inherited neurodegenerative disorder that causes uncontrolled movements, cognitive decline and psychiatric symptoms, usually beginning in adulthood. It was described in 1872 by the American physician George Huntington, who in a paper titled On Chorea set out its hereditary pattern, drawing on observations made by his father and grandfather, who were also physicians on Long Island, New York. Earlier doctors had noted similar cases. In 1993 researchers identified the gene responsible, on chromosome 4, and showed that the disease results from an expanded repeat of a DNA sequence. A child of an affected parent has a one-in-two chance of inheriting it. There is no cure, though treatments can ease symptoms.

Open on the timeline