Huntington’s Disease is a rare neurodegenerative disease passed down by a single changed gene of a parent. A child from an affected parent has a 50% chance of inheriting the gene.

In this program, Eliot member Jim Lyonfields will share a PowerPoint presentation of his journey with this genetic disease.

Symptoms typically manifest between the ages of 30-40 years of age, although juvenile onset of Huntington’s is possible. Huntington’s disease affect movement. Symptoms such as muscle rigidity, involuntary jerking, and trouble with speech and swallowing are common. Cognitive skills such as organizing , focusing on tasks, and processing information are affected. Other common symptoms include depression, sleep trouble, and loss of energy.

There are treatments that manage some symptoms, but they do not stop the progression of this disease. Tens of thousands of Huntington’s patients have voluntarily submitted their health data to the The Huntington’s Disease Society of America (HDSA) for research purposes with the hope of fast and effective clinical trials.

MEETS: Sunday, November 22 at 11:30 am in Room 001

LEADER: Jim Lyonfields 

CONTACT: ae-euc@eliotchapel.org