Huntington's disease is a devastating genetic disorder which causes progressive nerve degeneration and death. The loss of nerve cells produces progressive movement disorders, severe cognitive dysfunction and extreme behavioral changes. Huntington's disease is ultimately fatal. While there are no cures for Huntington's disease, many medications on the market today can help manage the patient's symptoms, allowing patients to stay independent and comfortable for a longer period of time.
Tetrabenazine
According to the MayoClinic.com, tetrabenazine is the first medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the specific treatment of Huntington's chorea. Huntington's chorea is the most common symptom of Huntington's disease, causing excessive, involuntary and repetitive movements, which interfere with a patient's ability to perform daily functions such as dressing and eating. Tetrabenazine helps reduce the involuntary movements of Huntington's disease by increasing the amount of dopamine in the brain. Side effects of tetrabenazine include insomnia, drowsiness, nausea and restlessness.
Tranquilizers
Tranquilizer medications such as clonazepam can help control movements, hallucinations and violent outbursts, says MayoClinic.com These medications often cause sedation and in some cases, may cause muscle stiffness and rigidity. Other side effects include abnormal eye movements, coma, confusion, depression, amnesia, hallucinations, hysteria, decreased libido, insomnia and psychosis.
Antidepressants
Huntington's disease causes a decrease in the chemical serotonin. Serotonin is one of the chemicals responsible for mood stabilization. Physicians may prescribe a class of antidepressant medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRI''s, to help control depression and the obsessive compulsive rituals that some Huntington's patients develop. The Huntington's Disease Drug Works website explains that SSRI's also increase levels of a chemical known as BDNF which helps promote healthy nerve cells that may allow for longer nerve cell life among Huntington's patients. Some SSRI medications include fluoxetine, sertraline and paroxetine. Side effects of SSRI's may include nausea, sexual dysfunction, dry mouth, headache, diarrhea, nervousness, rash, restlessness and weight gain.
Antipsychotics
In Huntington's disease, changes in the brain cells and brain chemicals often cause behavioral and psychotic symptoms. Patients may exhibit signs of delirium, aggression, impulsivity, agitation and psychosis. Patients may hallucinate, seeing or hearing things that are not there. Physicians will often prescribe an antipsychotic drug to help patient's deal with these symptoms, says MayoClinic.com. The antipsychotic medication class includes haloperidol, quetiapine, clozapine and risperidone. These medications carry a number of serious side effects including muscle stiffness and rigidity which may be permanent, hypotension, seizures and intense dreams or nightmares.
