Huntington disease (HD) is a genetic disorder that usually first appears in middle age and, over time, leads to involuntary movements, impaired speech, difficulty swallowing and speaking, and cognitive decline. There is no cure for HD, and affected individuals eventually die, usually after 10 to 15 years of progressively worsening symptoms. Huntington disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder. Presymptomatic genetic testing for HD is available for people with a family history of the disease. Individuals who have a parent with HD have a 50% chance of inheriting the HD gene and eventually having HD. Some of these individuals want to know if they will eventually get the disease, and they undergo presymptomatic genetic testing. Others do not want to know, given that there is no cure or effective treatment for the disease. If you were at risk for HD, would you want to undergo genetic testing? What are some reasons for and against having a genetic test for HD?
Huntington disease (HD) is a genetic disorder that usually first appears
in middle age and, over time, leads to involuntary movements,
impaired speech, difficulty swallowing and speaking, and cognitive
decline. There is no cure for HD, and affected individuals eventually
die, usually after 10 to 15 years of progressively worsening symptoms.
Huntington disease is inherited as an autosomal dominant disorder.
Presymptomatic genetic testing for HD is available for people with a
family history of the disease.
Individuals who have a parent with HD have a 50% chance of inheriting
the HD gene and eventually having HD. Some of these individuals
want to know if they will eventually get the disease, and they undergo
presymptomatic genetic testing. Others do not want to know, given
that there is no cure or effective treatment for the disease. If you were
at risk for HD, would you want to undergo genetic testing? What are
some reasons for and against having a genetic test for HD?
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