Huntington’s disease. You’re always on our mind.
Imagine if, after decades, your brain suddenly begins to fail you. A disease ravages your brain cells. And it only gets worse over time. That’s what happens when someone has Huntington’s. At HealthMatch, we’re hunting down new treatments. Find a Huntington’s clinical trial today.
Huntington’s Disease Clinical Trials
If you were to ever stumble across a group of 100,000 people – 7 to 10 of them would have Huntington’s disease. In Australia, 1,800 people have the disease. A further 9,000 Australian’s are at risk.
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurological condition – the disease stops parts of the brain from working properly. It causes changes in the way people think, move, behave, and express emotions.
Looking for how to help someone with Huntington’s? At HealthMatch, we’re bringing forward tomorrow’s treatments. We have trials available for Huntington’s, including ones aimed at stem cell treatment.
50%
the chance a person with Huntington's has of passing it on to their children ¹
10-20
years is the expected life span for Huntington’s once symptoms appear ²
3-10%
of all HD cases are Juvenile Huntington’s Disease ³
Foundation
Huntington’s NSW ACT
Huntington’s NSW ACT develops and runs support and educational programs for people affected by Huntington’s disease. It was established in 1976. The organisation also lobbies and campaigns on behalf of people with the condition.
Huntington’s NSW ACT Support Services
Support services include a helpline (02 9874 9777); the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Support Coordination; youth services; therapy services, and support groups.
Resources
HD Buzz
HD Buzz is a website that provides research news on the disease. How does it differ from a regular old news site? Well, it’s written by scientists – and it’s written in plain language, so everyone can understand.
Huntington’s WA Family Resource Pack
Huntington’s WA has put together a resource pack to help parents talk to their children about HD. It includes resilience stickers; activity cards; a storybook, and a growth wall chart.
FAQ
What is Huntington’s disease?
Huntington’s disease is a disease of the brain. Most commonly inherited, however 10% of cases are caused by a spontaneous mutation.
Although the exact mechanisms of HD are unclear, it is known to be caused by a defective gene – the HTT gene. This gene interferes with the manufacture of a particular protein, known as huntingtin. The huntingtin protein is crucial for proper brain development.
Various brain regions will deteriorate because of the disease. This deterioration then affects the nervous system.
What are the symptoms of Huntington’s disease?
As the disease affects the nervous system, people experience physical, cognitive, and emotional symptoms.
Physical symptoms include stiffness; involuntary movements; changes in balance and coordination; loss of control over bodily functions; fatigue and more.
Cognitive symptoms include difficulty concentrating; memory deterioration; changes in judgement; and speed of thought lessens.
Emotional symptoms include mood changes; loss of drive; impulsive behaviors; anxiety; depression; loss of empathy and more.
How do you treat Huntington’s disease?
Treatment can help control emotional and movement issues, but there is no treatment that can stop or reverse the course of the disease.
Treatment requires an integrated, multidisciplinary approach.
This may include medications to help alleviate changes in mood; medications to help with jerky movements and difficulty swallowing; physiotherapy, and occupational therapy.
Supported accommodation or respite care may also be considered in the treatment of the disease.
Is there a cure for Huntington’s disease?
There is currently no cure.
What is a clinical trial?
A clinical trial is a scientific study involving patient or non-patient (healthy) human volunteers. They help determine whether medicines are safe and effective to introduce as new treatments for a particular disease or condition.
How do I select a clinical trial?
HealthMatch matches you to clinical trials, in an easy-to-understand process.
After completing a medical questionnaire, our platform searches for and filters eligible trials for you. You’re able to view matches and apply for trials, on your trial dashboard.
We’ll put you in direct contact with the trial group once you’ve been accepted. We won’t stop searching until we’ve found you the right match.
Find Huntington’s Disease Clinical Trials Today
¹ Huntington's Victoria, Home Page
² Australian Academy of Science, Huntington's Disease
³ Huntington's Western Australia, FAQ Page