Huntington’s Disease is a hereditary neurological disorder caused by a fault in the gene that produces a protein called Huntingtin.
The function of Huntingtin is not clear, but the presence of abnormal protein increases the rate of neuronal cell death and gives rise to physical, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. Personality or mood changes may be the earliest signs of the disease, followed by uncontrollable jerky movements (chorea) and problems with memory. Although there is no cure for Huntington’s Disease, tetrabenazine (Xenazine®) has been shown to substantially reduce chorea. The drug is currently licensed for the treatment of Huntington’s Disease in a number of other countries, and has now been approved for use in the US.