Huntington’s Disease Research

Huntington’s Disease was first identified by George Huntington in 1872. The huntingtin gene (HTT) and its role in Huntington’s disease was identified in 1993, with genetic testing becoming available shortly afterwards. The first treatment for chorea (involuntary movements) was approved by the FDA in 2008. Many other discoveries have been made about the disease, but there is still more to learn to effectively treat symptoms, slow disease progression, and someday discover a cure. These accomplishments are made only with the collaboration of volunteers participating in studies.

Timeline showing HD research from 1872 to now

Jiang, A., Handley, R. R., Lehnert, K., & Snell, R. G. (2023). From Pathogenesis to Therapeutics: A Review of 150 Years of Huntington’s Disease Research. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 24(16), 13021. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241613021