Kloos, Anne D., Kegelmeyer, Deborah A., White, Susan E., Kostyk, Sandra K.

Background: Gait and balance impairments lead to frequent falls and injuries in individuals with Huntington’s disease (HD). Assistive devices (ADs) such as canes and walkers are often prescribed to prevent falls, but their efficacy is unknown. We systematically examined the effects of different types of ADs on quantitative gait measures during walking in a straight […]

Kieburtz, Karl, McGarry, A, McDermott, M, Huntington Study Group HART Investigators,

We examined the effects of 3 dosages of pridopidine, a dopamine-stabilizing compound, on motor function and other features of Huntington’s disease, with additional evaluation of its safety and tolerability. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in outpatient neurology clinics at 27 sites in the United States and Canada. Two hundred twenty-seven subjects enrolled from […]

Kieburtz, Karl, Landwehrmeyer, G. B., HORIZON Investigators of the Huntington Study Group,, European Huntington's Disease Network,

BACKGROUND Latrepirdine is an orally administered experimental small molecule that was initially developed as an antihistamine and subsequently was shown to stabilize mitochondrial membranes and function, which might be impaired in Huntington disease. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of latrepirdine on cognition and global function in patients with mild to moderate Huntington disease. DESIGN Randomized, […]

Bohlen, S., Ekwall, C., Hellström, K., Vesterlin, H., Björnefur, M., Wiklund, L., Reilmann, R.

Background and Purpose: Physical therapy is recommended for the treatment of Huntington’s disease, but reliable studies investigating its efficacy are almost non-existent. This may in part be due to the lack of suitable outcome measures. Therefore, we investigated the applicability of novel quantitative and objective assessments of motor dysfunction in the evaluation of physical therapy […]

Barker, Roger A, Mason, Sarah L., Harrower, Timothy P., Swain, Rachel A., Ho, Aileen K., Sahakian, Barbara J., Mathur, Raj, Elneil, Sohier, Thornton, Steven, Hurrelbrink, Carrie, Armstrong, Richard J., Tyers, Pam, Smith, Emma, Carpenter, Adrian, Piccini, Paola, Tai, Yen F., Brooks, David J., Pavese, Nicola, Watts, Colin, Pickard, John D., Rosser, Anne E., Dunnett, Stephen B.

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease involving progressive motor, cognitive and behavioural decline, leading to death approximately 20 years after motor onset. The disease is characterised pathologically by an early and progressive striatal neuronal cell loss and atrophy, which has provided the rationale for first clinical trials of neural repair using […]

Busse, Monica, Quinn, Lori, Debono, Katy, Jones, Karen, Collett, Johnathan, Playle, Rebecca, Kelly, Mark, Simpson, Sharon, Backx, Karianne, Wasley, David, Dawes, Helen, Rosser, Anne

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The beneficial role of exercise as a treatment approach in Huntington’s disease (HD) has support from both preclinical work and small-scale studies; however, there have been no controlled studies of gym-based exercise in people with HD. This phase 2 randomized trial (ISRCTN 59910670) assessed feasibility, safety, acceptability, and benefit of a structured […]

Spring, J. A., Viera, M., Bowen, C., Marsh, N.

This study evaluated adapted gardening as an activity for people with advanced Huntington’s disease (HD) and explored its therapeutic aspects. Visitors and staff completed a questionnaire and participated in structured interviews to capture further information, whereas a pictorial questionnaire was designed for residents with communication difficulties. Staff reported that gardening was a constructive, outdoor activity […]

de Yebenes, Justo Garcia, Landwehrmeyer, Bernhard, Squitieri, Ferdinando, Reilmann, Ralf, Rosser, Anne, Barker, Roger A, Saft, Carsten, Magnet, Markus K., Sword, Alastair, Rembratt, Åsa, Tedroff, Joakim

Background: Huntington’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, characterised by motor, cognitive, and behavioural deficits. Pridopidine belongs to a new class of compounds known as dopaminergic stabilisers, and results from a small phase 2 study in patients with Huntington’s disease suggested that this drug might improve voluntary motor function. We aimed to assess further the […]

Ferm, Ulrika, Sahlin, Anna, Sundin, Linda, Hartelius, Lena

Background: Many individuals with Huntington’s disease experience reduced functioning in cognition, language and communication. Talking Mats is a visually based low technological augmentative communication framework that supports communication in people with different cognitive and communicative disabilities.; Aims: To evaluate Talking Mats as a communication tool for people in the later stages of Huntington’s disease.; Methods& […]

Squitieri, Ferdinando, Orobello, Sara, Cannella, Milena, Martino, Tiziana, Romanelli, Pantaleo, Giovacchini, Giampiero, Frati, Luigi, Mansi, Luigi, Ciarmiello, Andrea

Purpose: Huntington disease (HD) mutation increases gain-of-toxic functions contributing to glutamate-mediated excitotoxicity. Riluzole interferes with glutamatergic neurotransmission, thereby reducing excitotoxicity, enhancing neurite formation in damaged motoneurons and increasing serum concentrations of BDNF, a brain cortex neurotrophin protecting striatal neurons from degeneration.; Methods: We investigated metabolic and volumetric differences in distinct brain areas between 11 riluzole-treated […]