There is no cure for Huntington's disease. Its progress cannot be reversed or slowed down, although this is the goal of a number of research projects.
Medication can be used to manage some of the associated symptoms. Therapies (such as speech and language therapy and occupational therapy) can help with communication and day-to-day living.
Regular exercise is extremely important: those who keep active tend to feel much better physically and mentally than those who do not exercise. Co-ordination may be poor, but walking independently with the use of walking aids, if necessary, can make all the difference.
See Living with Huntington's disease for information on managing lifestyle issues, such as feeding and communication.
Medication for Huntington's disease
Medicines for Huntington's disease, which can be taken in liquid form, are described below.
Most of these drugs have side effects such as fatigue, restlessness and hyperexcitability. It may be hard to tell if these are symptoms of the disease or a result of the medication.
Antidepressants
Antidepressants should be considered as they can improve mood swings and treat depression. They include:
- SSRI antidepressants, such as fluoxetine, sertraline, citalopram and paroxetine
- tricyclic antidepressants, such as nortriptyline
- other types of antidepressants, including nefazodone, bupropion and venlafaxine
Antidepressants may cause constipation, sweating, shaking or trembling, and difficulty sleeping. For more information, see Health A-Z: antidepressants.
Medication to supress involuntary movements
The below medicines supress the involuntary movements, or chorea, seen in Huntington's disease:
- tetrabenazine reduces the amount of the chemical dopamine reaching some of the nerve cells in the brain (this is usually the first choice treatment)
- benzodiazepines, such as clonazepam and diazepam
- antipsychotic medication, such as fluphenazine, haloperidol, risperidone, olanzapine and quetiapine
Antipsychotics may also help to control delusions (believing things that are untrue), hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are unreal) and violent outbursts. But it may have severe side effects, such as:
- stiffness and rigidity
- sedation
- tremor (shaking)
- slowness of movement
Because of these side effects, the lowest possible dose of antipsychotics will be prescribed.
