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Huntington's Disease

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.

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What Is Huntington’s Disease?

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.

What are the types of Huntington’s disease? 

There are two types of Huntington’s disease:

  • Adult-onset Huntington’s disease — The most common form of Huntington’s disease. Symptoms usually begin in middle age, around the 30s or 40s.
  • Juvenile Huntington’s disease — Begins in childhood or the teen years and progresses more quickly than adult-onset Huntington’s disease.

How common is 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.

What causes Huntington’s disease?

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.

What are Huntington’s disease risk factors and complications?

Huntington’s disease risk factors

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.

Complications of Huntington’s disease

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:

  • Balance and walking problems.
  • Behavior and personality changes.
  • Difficulty regulating emotions.
  • Difficulty sleeping.
  • Problems with thinking and remembering.
  • Rigidity (stiffness).
  • Seizures.
  • Talking, eating, and swallowing problems.
  • Uncontrolled movement (chorea), often in the fingers, feet, face, or torso.

How can I prevent Huntington’s disease? 

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.

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What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Huntington’s Disease?

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.

What are the first symptoms of Huntington’s?

Early symptoms of Huntington’s disease may include irritability, depression, clumsiness, small uncontrolled movements, and trouble retaining new information or making decisions.

Physical symptoms of Huntington’s disease

As the disease gets worse, physical symptoms may include:

  • Difficulty with balance and walking.
  • Fatigue.
  • Frequent falls.
  • Rigidity (stiffness).
  • Seizures.
  • Sleep problems.
  • Trouble speaking, swallowing, and eating.
  • Unusual eye movements.
  • Worsening involuntary movements, including jerking or twitching (chorea).

Emotional symptoms of Huntington’s disease

Emotional symptoms of Huntington’s disease may include:

  • Anxiety.
  • Depression.
  • Irritability.
  • Mood swings.
  • Outbursts of anger.
  • Personality changes.
  • Psychosis (losing touch with reality).
  • Thoughts of suicide.
  • Withdrawal from social activities.

How does a person act with Huntington’s disease?

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

Cognitive symptoms of Huntington’s disease may include difficulty with thinking, including:

  • Answering questions.
  • Learning new things.
  • Making decisions.
  • Paying attention.
  • Putting thoughts and ideas into words.
  • Prioritizing and organizing tasks.
  • Remembering facts and information.
  • Solving problems.

When should I see a doctor about my Huntington’s disease symptoms?

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.

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How Do You Diagnose Huntington’s Disease?

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.

What to expect during your visit

During your visit, your doctor may:

  • Ask about your symptoms.
  • Perform a physical and neurological exam.
  • Review your medical history.
  • Order genetic tests.
  • Order imaging tests.

Tests to diagnose Huntington’s disease

Your doctor may perform or order tests to diagnose Huntington’s disease, including:

  • Brain imaging — A CT scan or MRI can identify abnormalities in your brain.
  • Genetic testing — Looks for gene mutations that cause Huntington’s disease.
  • Neurological exam — Tests reflexes, balance, movement, muscle tone, hearing, walking, and thinking abilities.

Huntington’s disease prognosis

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.

What are the long-term effects of Huntington’s disease?

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.

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How Do You Treat Huntington’s Disease?

There is no cure for Huntington’s disease. Although treatment will not stop or reverse the condition, it may help manage symptoms.

Medication to treat Huntington’s disease

Your doctor may prescribe medication to:

  • Control hallucinations, delusions, and emotional outbursts.
  • Manage involuntary movements.
  • Treat depression, anxiety, or difficulty sleeping.

Supportive services

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:

  • Assistive devices, such as wheelchairs and walkers.
  • Caregiver education and support.
  • Genetic counseling and testing for family members.
  • Home medical equipment.
  • Physical, occupational, and speech-language therapy.
  • Psychiatric and cognitive care.

Why choose UPMC for Huntington’s disease care?

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:

  • Access to clinical trials — UPMC experts participate in Huntington’s disease research to find new treatments and improve understanding of the disorder.
  • Ongoing management — Starting at the time of diagnosis, your UPMC care team will be by your side to help you manage symptoms, reduce side effects, and maintain the highest possible quality of life.
  • Supportive care — Our team of experts will refer you to health care and community experts who can provide you and your family with the support you need to manage the disorder.

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By UPMC Editorial Staff. Last reviewed on 2025-04-17.