NDD-Huntington's Disease Flashcards
What is huntington’s disease?
It is a hereditary neurological disorder that leads to severe physical and mental disabilities. Over time, HD causes progressive loss of nerve cells in the brain, affecting movement, cognition and behavior.
What is chorea?
Rapid, involuntary, irregular movements, increasing during stressful situations and lessening or absent during voluntary motor activities and sleep
What is motor restlessness?
akathisia
What is dystonia?
abnormal, sustained posturing of a body part, typically the arms, head or trunk
What involuntary movement patterns occur in individuals with HD?
choreiform movements of hands, chorea, akathisia, and dystonia
What is bradykinesia?
slowed movement
What is delayed initiation of movement, caused by changes to the functioning of the basal ganglia?
akinesia
What is incoordination of movement?
alteration of rhythmical, repetitive movements
What voluntary movement pattens occur in individuals with HD?
bradykinesia, akinesia, incoordination of movement
During the later stages of HD, what replaces chorea?
hypertonicity
What problems arise during the middle stages of HD?
gait and balance problems, such as wide based gait pattern and difficulties walking on uneven terrain
During later stages, what happens with movements?
large bursts of movement when small movements intended
What motor difficulties arise with clients with HD?
smaller movements and hand eye coordination
What cognitive and behavioral abilities deteriorate in clients with HD?
forgetfulness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty with mental calculations, sequencing of tasks and memory, irritability and depression, depression possibly leading to suicide
What cognitive and behavioral abilities deteriorate in the initial stages of HD?
difficulty maintaining work performance
What cognitive and behavioral abilities deteriorate in the middle stages of HD?
disturbances in memory and decision making
What cognitive and behavioral abilities deteriorate in the later stages of HD?
compromised pronunciation because of dysarthria
T or F: Some primary signs and symptoms of HD include slowing of saccadic eye movements and ocular pursuits and dysphagia.
True