news...The facts
HD is a genetic illness which affects the brain. It happens when a person inherits a faulty copy of a particular gene. Every person has 2 copies of every gene, one of which they receive from their mum, and one from their dad. A person with HD has one copy of the gene which is the normal size and one copy which is enlarged (faulty). The faulty gene causes certain brain cells to die.
The illness usually develops between the ages of 30 and 50 and begins with mild symptoms in the early stages that progress slowly. Many people can still work for many years after the onset of symptoms.
The faulty gene affects the way the brain functions and as the disease progresses the affected person can change emotionally (they may become short tempered and angry), physically (they may have jerky movements and their speech may be difficult to understand) and cognitively (they may find it hard to concentrate and remember things).
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