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Itisha Arya

Huntington’s Disease Gets First Successful Treatment: Here’s What To Know About The Condition And Early Symptoms

Huntington’s Disease Gets First Successful Treatment

One of the most devastating inherited brain disorders, Huntington’s disease, has been treated successfully for the first time, according to doctors. The illness is passed down through families, gradually destroys brain cells, and combines features of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and motor neurone disease. Researchers became emotional while sharing the results, which showed the decline in patients slowed by 75%.

Read: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/all-about-the-amt-130-gene-therapy-treatment-for-huntingtons-disease-article-152890014" data-type="tilCustomLink">All About The AMT-130 Gene Therapy - Treatment For Huntington's Disease</a> 

This means that the deterioration usually expected in one year could now take four years, potentially giving people decades of better quality of life, said Prof Sarah Tabrizi in an interview with BBC News.

What is Huntington’s Disease?Huntington’s is a <span>brain disorder</span> in which nerve cells, or neurons, in certain areas of the brain break down over time. As these cells degenerate, people experience changes in movement, memory, and emotions.

<ul><li>Adult-onset Huntington’s disease: The most common type, usually starting between the ages of 30 and 50.</li><li>Early-onset Huntington’s disease: A rarer form affecting children or teenagers, often marked by sudden school difficulties and symptoms that resemble Parkinson’s disease.</li></ul><h2></h2>

What Causes Huntington’s Disease?The disorder is genetic, passed from a parent to their child. If one parent has Huntington’s, there is a 50% chance their child will inherit the gene mutation. If the child does not inherit it, the disease cannot be passed down to future generations. In 1–3% of cases, no family history is known, according to research from <span>Johns Hopkins Medicine</span>.

ALSO READ: <a href="https://www.healthandme.com/parenting/after-tylenol-and-autism-link-who-should-parents-trust-article-152883018" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">After Tylenol And Autism Link, Who Should Parents Trust?</a>

<h2>Symptoms of Huntington’s disease</h2>Symptoms usually begin between ages 30 and 50, though 5–10% of people develop juvenile Huntington’s disease before age 20, and 4–11% start showing signs after age 60. The condition varies from person to person—some experience depression or mood changes first, while others develop movement difficulties early on.

<strong>Physical symptoms may include:</strong>

<ul><li>Trouble walking, stumbling, or losing balance</li><li>Difficulty speaking, swallowing, or eating</li><li>Unexplained weight loss and a weaker immune system</li><li>Muscle rigidity (especially in juvenile cases)</li></ul>The most recognisable symptom in adults is chorea, involuntary jerking or twitching movements. Other possible signs are:

<ul><li>Loss of coordination</li><li>Unusual eye movements</li><li>Dystonia (abnormal muscle tone)</li><li>Seizures (more common in children with HD)</li><li>Reflex abnormalities such as Babinski sign or clonus</li></ul>ALSO READ:<a href="https://www.healthandme.com/health-wellness/what-makes-the-dengue-season-2025-different-unique-symptoms-of-dengue-in-2025-and-how-long-it-lasts-article-152878848" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank"> What Makes The Dengue Season 2025 Different? Unique Symptoms Of Dengue In 2025 And How Long It Lasts</a>

As the disease advances, movements become more frequent and severe, eventually slowing as muscles grow stiff.

<h2>Can <span rel="noindex">Huntington Disease</span> Contagious?</h2>Yes, it can be passed on. Huntington’s follows an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. A person with the faulty gene has one normal copy and one mutated copy. Each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the mutation. If they inherit the normal copy, they will not develop the disease and cannot pass it on. If they inherit the mutated gene, their children will also face the same 50% risk.An estimated 75,000 people are currently living with Huntington’s across the UK, US, and Europe, while hundreds of thousands carry the genetic mutation and will eventually develop the disease.

<h2>New treatment and what it means</h2>The biotechnology company uniQure has announced it will apply for US approval of its gene therapy in early 2026, with plans to launch later that year. Talks with regulators in Europe and the UK are expected to follow.

Dr Walid Abi-Saab, uniQure’s chief medical officer, said the results were “incredibly exciting” and could “fundamentally transform” the outlook for families affected by Huntington’s.

However, the treatment will not be accessible to everyone. It involves complex neurosurgery and is expected to come with a high price tag. While no official cost has been announced, gene therapies are known to be expensive. For comparison, the NHS currently funds a one-time £2.6 million gene therapy for haemophilia B. Despite the cost, experts say the long-term benefits could make such therapies worthwhile.

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One of the most devastating inherited brain disorders, Huntington’s disease, has been treated successfully for the first time, according to doctors. The illness is passed down through families, gradually destroys brain cells, and combines features of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and motor neurone disease. Researchers became emotional while sharing the results, which showed the decline in patients slowed by 75%.Read: All About The AMT-130 Gene Therapy - Treatment For Huntington's Disease This means that the deterioration usually expected in one year could now take four years, potentially giving people decades of better quality of life, said Prof Sarah Tabrizi in an interview with BBC News.What is Huntington’s Disease?Huntington’s is a brain disorder in which nerve cells, or neurons, in certain areas of the brain break down over time. As these cells degenerate, people experience changes in movement, memory, and emotions.There are two forms:Adult-onset Huntington’s disease: The most common type, usually starting between the ages of 30 and 50.Early-onset Huntington’s disease: A rarer form affecting children or teenagers, often marked by sudden school difficulties and symptoms that resemble Parkinson’s disease.What Causes Huntington’s Disease?The disorder is genetic, passed from a parent to their child. If one parent has Huntington’s, there is a 50% chance their child will inherit the gene mutation. If the child does not inherit it, the disease cannot be passed down to future generations. In 1–3% of cases, no family history is known, according to research from Johns Hopkins Medicine.ALSO READ: After Tylenol And Autism Link, Who Should Parents Trust?Symptoms of Huntington’s diseaseSymptoms usually begin between ages 30 and 50, though 5–10% of people develop juvenile Huntington’s disease before age 20, and 4–11% start showing signs after age 60. The condition varies from person to person—some experience depression or mood changes first, while others develop movement difficulties early on.Physical symptoms may include:Trouble walking, stumbling, or losing balanceDifficulty speaking, swallowing, or eatingUnexplained weight loss and a weaker immune systemMuscle rigidity (especially in juvenile cases)The most recognisable symptom in adults is chorea, involuntary jerking or twitching movements. Other possible signs are:Loss of coordinationUnusual eye movementsDystonia (abnormal muscle tone)Seizures (more common in children with HD)Reflex abnormalities such as Babinski sign or clonusALSO READ: What Makes The Dengue Season 2025 Different? Unique Symptoms Of Dengue In 2025 And How Long It LastsAs the disease advances, movements become more frequent and severe, eventually slowing as muscles grow stiff.Can Huntington Disease Contagious?Yes, it can be passed on. Huntington’s follows an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern. A person with the faulty gene has one normal copy and one mutated copy. Each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the mutation. If they inherit the normal copy, they will not develop the disease and cannot pass it on. If they inherit the mutated gene, their children will also face the same 50% risk.An estimated 75,000 people are currently living with Huntington’s across the UK, US, and Europe, while hundreds of thousands carry the genetic mutation and will eventually develop the disease.New treatment and what it meansThe biotechnology company uniQure has announced it will apply for US approval of its gene therapy in early 2026, with plans to launch later that year. Talks with regulators in Europe and the UK are expected to follow.Dr Walid Abi-Saab, uniQure’s chief medical officer, said the results were “incredibly exciting” and could “fundamentally transform” the outlook for families affected by Huntington’s.However, the treatment will not be accessible to everyone. It involves complex neurosurgery and is expected to come with a high price tag. While no official cost has been announced, gene therapies are known to be expensive. For comparison, the NHS currently funds a one-time £2.6 million gene therapy for haemophilia B. Despite the cost, experts say the long-term benefits could make such therapies worthwhile.