Wikipedia:Today's featured article/February 27, 2010

Huntington's disease is an incurable neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and some cognitive functions, typically becoming noticeable in middle age. It is the most common genetic cause of abnormal involuntary writhing movements called chorea and is much more common in people of Western European descent. The disease is caused by a dominant mutation on either of the two copies of a gene called Huntingtin, which means any child of an affected parent has a 50% risk of inheriting the disease. Physical symptoms of Huntington's disease can begin at any age from infancy to old age, but usually begin between 35 and 44 years of age. The mutation of the Huntingtin gene codes for a different form of the "huntingtin" protein, whose presence results in gradual damage to specific areas of the brain. The exact way this happens is not fully understood. Genetic counseling has developed to inform and aid individuals considering genetic testing. The earliest symptoms are a general lack of coordination and an unsteady gait. As the disease advances, uncoordinated, jerky body movements become more apparent, along with a decline in mental abilities and behavioral and psychiatric problems. Although the disorder itself is not fatal, complications such as pneumonia, heart disease, and physical injury from falls markedly reduce life expectancy. There is no cure for HD, and full-time care is often required in the later stages of the disease. (more...)

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