Fact 13: Huntington’s Disease and the Brain – Unpacking the Neurological Impact
Unseen to the eye, a storm rages within the brain of a person with HD. The disease targets the basal ganglia, the brain’s movement control center, and as it progresses, the damage extends to other areas, leading to the wide spectrum of symptoms associated with HD.
The degeneration in the brain’s striatum, part of the basal ganglia, is one of the most significant changes brought on by HD. With the death of these neurons, motor control deteriorates, setting off the characteristic motor symptoms of HD.
At a microscopic level, the mutated huntingtin protein forms clumps within the neurons, interrupting their functioning and pushing them towards death. Unraveling these microscopic changes is crucial to understanding the mechanics of HD and developing effective treatments.
The interplay between HD and the brain is a complex one. As researchers piece together this puzzle, each discovery, each revelation, holds the potential to unlock new ways of managing HD and improving patients’ lives.
These neurological changes are like dominoes – once they start, they keep going, following a seemingly unstoppable course. But with every research breakthrough, we get closer to finding a way to stop the dominoes from falling. (13)
