Neurosciences:
Ending the Tragedy of Huntington's Disease
It is among the cruelest of diseases. Huntington's disease typically strikes in the prime of life, robbing sufferers of their intellectual capacity as well as the ability to control physical movements and emotion. Ultimately, this incurable genetic brain disorder leads to a slow, painful death. Thanks to UC Irvine, there is hope in the battle against this deadly disorder that afflicts some 30,000 Americans.
.jpg) Compounds created to combat Alzheimer's disease, sleep disorders and other neurological ailments reverse Huntington's disease-related memory loss, according to a UC Irvine study. In tests on mice with HD, neurobiologists Gary Lynch (pictured), Danielle Simmons and colleagues found that a very mild ampakine treatment produced dramatic increases in the brain's chemical processes for creating and storing memories. |
Our Huntington's disease specialists include:
- A team of UC Irvine scientists who helped identify the protein that causes Huntington's disease
- A professor who recently received a $1.4-million research grant to develop a new line of human stem cells to better understand how Huntington's disease begins, progresses and what drugs might stop it
- Scientists who have identified several drug combinations that show the potential to treat Huntington's disease
As a reflection of the university's excellence in the field, UC Irvine established in 2005 the Huntington's Disease Clinic, the only center of its type between Los Angeles and San Diego that offers patients genetic testing, counseling and neurological care.
Together, we can one day find a cure for Huntington's disease.
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