Huntington's disease is a genetic condition that can be inherited from parent to child. The downside to Huntington's disease is that most people don't start developing symptoms until middle age, typically after having children (NIL). Huntington's disease is caused by a defect on the fourth chromosome that causes a portion of DNA called CAG to repeat between 36 and 120 times compared to a healthy person's normal replication of 10 to 28 times (NCBI). By repeating this DNA an abnormal number of times, it causes the disease-carrying brain cells to degenerate. The degeneration of brain cells can cause a variety of symptoms that help doctors diagnose Huntington's disease. Some of the symptoms of Huntington's disease that occur are behavioral changes, unusual movements, and dementia. Some behavioral changes are due to the loss of brain cells; include hallucinations, paranoia, and psychosis. Abnormal movements are also common because the brain is directly associated with the nervous system that carries out the movements. Huntington's patients often have an unsteady gait, facial twitching, and chorea, which is an uncontrollable shaking or shaking. Finally, dementia, which progressively worsens as the disease advances. Signs of dementia include memory loss, disorientation, slurred speech, and poor judgment. Doctors may also use advanced scans such as CT, MRI, or PET of the brain to look for brain cell degeneration that also indicates Huntington's disease (NIL). Huntington's disease is acquired only by inheriting the gene. If a parent has Huntington's disease, the child has a 50% chance of developing the disease. Because the gen... middle of paper... have today. Because of this, symptoms such as chorea and psychosis can spiral out of control and lead to death more quickly. Today, much research is underway to find additional treatments and a cure for Huntington's disease. Clinical trials are underway to test new drugs that may help Huntington's patients. One such study involves a drug called creatine that prevents brain cells from shrinking. It is currently being tested in Huntington's patients and has shown some positive results (HDSA). Personally, if I were to live with Huntington's disease, I would probably join a support group to deal with the emotional and psychological effects of the disease. I would also be willing to apply for a clinical trial, in hopes of one day helping the medical field find a cure for this devastating disease.