Understanding the 8 common signs of Huntington’s disease
Huntington’s disease is a brain disorder typically triggered by the alteration in the existing DNA structure of the body. It is a genetic trait that gets passed down from the previous generation and develops due to a single error in one gene. The disease mainly causes deterioration in brain activity that controls important physical, emotional, and mental abilities, affecting one’s daily activities. The following are the early signs of the progression of Huntington’s disease. Involuntary muscle movements The brain controls all nerve impulses, which, in turn, control muscles. Due to nerve damage triggered by the disease, the impulses that control these movements are erratic, resulting in jerking or writhing without any control. Unusual movement of the eyes Optic nerves control the eye movements and process all the information that is carried to the brain. So, erratic nerve impulses will also trigger unusual movement of the eyeballs, sometimes in different directions without any warning. Difficulty with speech and swallowing The brain controls automatic functions like chewing and the amount of food that can be swallowed in one go without the risk of choking. So, any miscommunication or interrupted relay in signal will result in problems with swallowing. With this type of cognitive impairment, it also becomes difficult to control speech and voice control.
