Huntington's

A 48 year-old man presented with many years of progressive psychiatric impairment and dementia. Prominent chorea was present on examination. There was a similar history in his father and many relatives in the father's family.


Show the Caudate Nucleus in Huntington's                                                                Show the Caudate Nucleus in a Normal  

Coronal MRI scan (T1 weighted) of the patient (left) and a normal (right). Note the prominent atrophy of the cortex as well as the atrophy of the caudate nucleus of the patient compared to the normal. Huntington's is a neurodegenerative disease with dominant inheritance. Abnormal movements (especially chorea) and behavioral/psychiatric symptoms are common.

Revised04/19/06.
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