What is Huntington's Disease?

Formerly known as "Huntington's Chorea" and "St. Vitus Dance," HD is a hereditary, progressively degenerative brain disease. HD causes involuntary movements of the arms, legs, and face that make eating, swallowing, walking and talking difficult and potentially impossible. Changes occur in thinking, judgement, and temperament. Depression is also common. HD progresses over a 10-20 year period. Every child of a parent with HD has a 50-50 chance of inheriting the gene and inevitably developing the disease. Onset generally appears between the ages of 30 and 50, but there is a juvenile strain of HD. Although there is no cure for HD, our best and brightest scientists are working toward a cure or treatment for HD.