Huntington’s disease is a genetic (inherited) progressive brain disorder that leads to uncontrolled movements and difficulties with balance, walking, speaking, swallowing, thinking, and regulating emotions.
Symptoms of Huntington’s disease usually start in middle age and get worse over time. People diagnosed with Huntington’s disease as adults typically live around 15 to 20 years after their symptoms start.
Although there is no cure for Huntington’s disease, UPMC experts provide comprehensive care to help manage physical, mental, and emotional symptoms. We offer genetic counseling and testing services for family members of people with Huntington’s disease and connect patients and their loved ones with a full range of supportive services.
Huntington’s disease is an inherited, progressive brain disorder that causes uncontrolled movements and problems with balance, walking, speaking, swallowing, thinking, and regulating emotions.
Symptoms of Huntington’s disease usually start in middle age and get worse over time. People who are diagnosed with Huntington’s disease as adults typically live around 15 to 20 years after their symptoms start.
There are two types of Huntington’s disease:
Huntington’s disease is considered a rare condition. It affects between three and seven out of 100,000 people of European ancestry. It is less common in people of Asian and African ancestry.
Huntington’s disease is a genetic (inherited) disorder that is passed from parent to child. It is caused by a gene mutation (change) that leads to nerve cell death in the brain.
Rarely, Huntington’s disease occurs in people who do not have a parent with the disorder. When this happens, it is called sporadic Huntington’s disease.
Each child of a parent with Huntington’s disease has a 50 percent chance of inheriting the mutated gene. Some children who inherit the mutated gene may not develop Huntington’s disease themselves, but could be at risk of having children who develop the disorder.
Huntington’s disease causes nerve cells in the brain to break down and die.
Depending on the area of the brain that is affected, Huntington’s disease can cause:
Because Huntington’s disease is a genetic condition that is passed from parent to child, there is nothing you can do to prevent the disorder.
Symptoms of adult-onset Huntington’s disease, the most common type, typically appear in middle age. Symptoms of juvenile Huntington’s disease appear in childhood or adolescence.
Both types of Huntington’s disease cause physical, emotional, and cognitive symptoms that worsen over time. Eventually, symptoms become severe and prevent people from working, driving, or caring for themselves.
Early symptoms of Huntington’s disease may include irritability, depression, clumsiness, small uncontrolled movements, and trouble retaining new information or making decisions.
As the disease gets worse, physical symptoms may include:
Emotional symptoms of Huntington’s disease may include:
People with Huntington’s disease may have personality changes that include mood swings, irritability, anger, depression, or anxiety. In severe cases, people may have hallucinations, thoughts of suicide, violent outbursts, or lose touch with reality.
Cognitive symptoms of Huntington’s disease may include difficulty with thinking, including:
If you have symptoms of Huntington’s disease—especially with a family history—schedule a visit with your primary care provider for a neurologist referral or schedule directly with a neurologist.
Your doctor will perform a complete neurological examination, ask about your symptoms, review your medical and family history, and order tests to diagnose Huntington’s disease.
During your visit, your doctor may:
Your doctor may perform or order tests to diagnose Huntington’s disease, including:
People who are diagnosed with adult-onset Huntington’s disease have a life expectancy of about 15 to 20 years from the time their symptoms begin. Juvenile Huntington’s disease progresses faster and typically has a life expectancy of 10 to 15 years after symptoms begin.
Huntington’s disease is a progressive disorder, which means the condition gets worse over time. Eventually, people with Huntington’s disease are unable to work, drive, or care for themselves and need to use a wheelchair or stay in bed.
There is no cure for Huntington’s disease. Although treatment will not stop or reverse the condition, it may help manage symptoms.
Your doctor may prescribe medication to:
Supportive services are an essential part of Huntington’s disease care. Your care team will refer you and your loved ones to health care and community experts who provide supportive services such as:
UPMC has been designated a Center of Excellence by the Huntington's Disease Society of America since 2015. Centers of Excellence offer a multidisciplinary team of experts in Huntington's disease.
When you choose UPMC for Huntington’s disease care, you will receive:
By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-04-17.
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