NR 283 Unit 7 Discussion Topic – Huntington’s disease and Parkinson’s disease
Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease are both
... [Show More] Neurodegenerative disorders which mean they are a disease resulting in the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons, including the death of neurons.
Answer
Huntington's Disease
Huntington's disease is an inherited disease that causes the progressive degeneration of nerve cells in the central area of the brain, which affects movement, mood and thinking skills. Huntington's disease is an autosomal dominant disorder, which means that a person needs only one copy of the defective gene to develop the disorder. Symptoms usually begin between 30 and 50 years of age, but can start at any age (as early as age 2 or as late as 80). The classic symptom of Huntington's disease is an uncontrolled movement of the arms, legs, head, face and upper body. Huntington's disease also causes a decline in thinking and reasoning skills, including memory, concentration, judgment and ability to plan and organize. Huntington's disease brain changes lead to alterations in mood, especially depression, anxiety, and uncharacteristic anger and irritability. Another common symptom is obsessive-compulsive behavior, leading a person to repeat the same question or activity over and over (Huntington's Disease, 2013). There is currently no cure for Huntington's disease and no way to slow or stop the brain changes it causes. Treatments focus on managing symptoms through medication and therapy.
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a progressive deterioration of certain neurons in the brain that affects movement. Many of the symptoms are due to a loss of neurons that produce dopamine. When dopamine levels decrease, it causes abnormal brain activity, leading to signs of Parkinson's disease. It is a gradually progressing disease that can first start out with slightly noticeable tremors in one hand. The cause is unknown, but researchers attribute it to a few factors such as specific genetic mutations, environmental triggers, changes in the brain (presence of Lewy bodies). Lewy bodies are abnormal aggregates of protein that develop inside nerve cells in Parkinson's disease. Diagnoses of Parkinson's disease span a broad range of ages, from the 20s to 80s, with the average age of diagnosis being 60. Parkinson's disease symptoms and signs may vary from person to person. Early signs may be mild and may go unnoticed. Symptoms often begin on one side of your body and usually remain worse on that side, even after symptoms start to affect both sides. Symptoms include bradykinesia (slow movement), tremors, rigid muscles, and loss of automatic movement. Parkinson's disease in incurable, but medications can help control your symptoms, often dramatically (Mehanna, 2014).
Huntington's Disease vs. Parkinson's disease
Huntington affects males and females equally while Parkinson's Disease is more prominent in men.
Huntington's Disease can happen in children while Parkinson's mostly affects patients over the age of 60 years old.
Huntington's Disease is a hereditary disorder while Parkinson's can affect anyone regardless of their genetics or family history.
Parkinson's Disease primarily affects the movements of patient while Huntington's Disease has a wide variety of symptoms.
In both medication and therapy are the only treatments as they cannot be cured.
They both affect the brain
Huntington's Disease | Signs, Symptoms, & Diagnosis. (2013, January/February). Retrieved October 11, 2016, from http://www.alz.org/dementia/huntingtons-disease-symptoms.asp
Mehanna R, Moore S, Hou JG, Sarwar AI, Lai EC (2014) Comparing clinical features of young onset, middle onset and late onset Parkinson’s disease Journ Parkreldis DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2014.02.013 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.parkreldis.2014.02.013 [Show Less]