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Therapy in Huntington’s Disease: Where Are We?

  • Movement Disorders (SA Factor, Section Editor)
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Abstract

As of 2012, almost 20 years after the discovery of the causative gene, clinical research has yet to find a disease-modifying treatment for Huntington’s disease. However, both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies are available for many of the common symptoms of the disease. Recent studies of gene-positive patients in the prodromal, not clinically diagnosable, stages of the disease, are changing our perception of when the process of neurodegeneration begins. Once disease-modifying therapies become available, the approach to the diagnosis of Huntington’s disease will likely shift from an examination-based clinical diagnosis, to one that includes a more complex combination of imaging, examination, and biomarker analysis.

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Disclosure

Conflicts of interest: M.A. Nance: is on the Scientific Review Panel for Parkinson’s Study Group; is employed by Park Nicollet Health Services and Hennepin County Medical Center; has received grant support from Huntington’s Disease Society of America, National Parkinson Foundation, Michael H. Fox Foundation, HP Therapeutics Foundation Inc., CHDI, Biotie Therapies Inc., IMPAX Pharmaceuticals, Medivation/Pfizer, Neurosearch, Phytopharm PLC, Prana Biotechnology LTD, Schering-Plough Research Institute, Schwarz Biosciences, TEVA Pharmaceuticals, and NIH/NINDS; has received honoraria from Huntingdon’s Disease Society of America, Augsburg College, American Academy of Neurology, and University of Washington; has received royalties from Oxford University Press; has received payment for development of educational presentations including service on speakers’ bureaus from Huntington’s Disease Society of America; has received travel/accommodations expenses covered or reimbursed from NIH/NINDS, CHDI, and National Parkinson Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Struthers Parkinson’s Center, 6701 Country Club Drive, Golden Valley, MN, 55427, USA

    Martha A. Nance

  2. Huntington Disease Society of America Center of Excellence, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Martha A. Nance

  3. Department of Neurology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    Martha A. Nance

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  1. Martha A. Nance
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Correspondence to Martha A. Nance.

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Nance, M.A. Therapy in Huntington’s Disease: Where Are We?. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 12, 359–366 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11910-012-0277-4

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