One of the most devastating neurodegenerative disorders, Huntington’s Disease, affects around 30,000 people in the United States, with another 150,000 at risk of developing the disorder. By the time that motor movement symptoms become visible, the disease has already progressed. While there are various medications and treatments that can help manage symptoms, there is no cure. Researchers have studied CBD as a potential treatment for Huntington’s Disease since the mid-1980s.
Huntington’s Disease: An Overview
While Huntington’s disease is rare, it is an inherited neurodegenerative disease of the nervous system that causes profound disabilities in movement, mental health and eventually dementia. It is caused by a faulty gene known as the Huntington gene, that causes toxic proteins to build up and cause damage in the brain, leading to neurological symptoms.
A Quick History of Huntington’s Disease
The disease has been known for a long time, dating back to 1872 when George Huntington provided a full description in his first paper entitled “On Chorea”. For many decades, the disease was known as “Huntington’s Chorea”, based on the unwanted movements observed in numerous patients. It was later changed to Huntington’s disease once the medical community discovered that it caused more than just movement problems. Many psychological and cognitive symptoms are also present with the disease.
3 Hallmarks of Huntington’s Disease: Movement, Cognitive and Mood Problems
Movement Problems
Many times, mood and behavioral symptoms precede motor or movement problems, although symptoms vary by individual. By the time physical problems develop, the disease has already progressed. Movement disorders include chorea – involuntary jerking and writhing movements and dystonia, or muscle rigidity and contracture. Other movement symptoms include:
- Slow or abnormal eye movements
- Impaired ability to walk
- Difficulty maintaining posture or balance
- Speech difficulties
- Problems with swallowing
Cognitive Problems
Cognitive problems develop as the disease progresses and many people will experience the following:
- Difficulty with organization
- Slowness of thoughts
- Inability to learn new information
- Impulsivity
- Inability to prioritize or stay on task
- Lack of awareness of one’s behaviors
Mood Problems
Various psychiatric symptoms develop over the course of time, due mainly to emotional reactions after being diagnosed with the disease and to altered brain function. It’s common for people to experience:
- Sadness
- Apathy
- Irritability
- Withdrawal
- Suicidal thoughts and actions
- Fatigue
Huntington’s disease is also known to be associated with co-occurring disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), manic behaviors, and bipolar depression. It is indeed a very complex disease affecting multiple facets of life.
Progression of the Disease
After an individual is diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, new symptoms appear, the condition worsens, and deterioration occurs progressively over 10 to 30 years. Functional abilities decline, clinical depression may lead to suicidal thinking, and eventually the individual will need assistance with all activities of daily living and personal care.
Ultimately, the disease will render the individual helpless and unable to move, speak, chew or swallow. The Individual will become confined to a wheelchair and bed. Pneumonia, infection, injuries, falls and other complications will lead to death.
Traditional Treatments
While there is no cure for Huntington’s disease, medications and other interventions may help to manage symptoms and promote quality of life. An important medication, Xenazine, has been approved by the FDA to treat movement disorders such as writhing, and involuntary jerking. It comes with the serious side effect of triggering or worsening depression and other psychiatric symptoms. Many other antipsychotic and antidepressant medications are commonly prescribed for people with the disease.
A psychologist or therapist can provide various forms of therapy to help the individual work through emotional and behavioral issues. Therapy goals can include managing behavioral problems, developing effective coping mechanisms, communicating effectively with others, and maintaining realistic expectations as the disease progresses.
Speech, occupational and physical therapy may also be helpful in treating various symptoms associated with Huntington’s disease.
Research Findings on CBD and Huntington’s Disease
Research on CBD as a viable treatment for Huntington’s disease began in the mid-1980s with a small study involving three people who did not respond well to medications for their conditions. All three participants who were administered CBD experienced reductions in movement problems. Other studies in the 1990s produced positive results as well.
Because CBD has neuroprotectant properties, some researchers believe that it can delay onset of the disease or prevent the death of striatal neurons which are found in the basal ganglia of the forebrain. This area is responsible for motor movement and reward perception. Targeting this area could prove effective in treating both movement problems as well as depression.
Later in 2011, a research team reported a reduction in cellular response related to a decrease in the number of CB1 receptors in the basal ganglia. They reported that when CB1 receptors are activated, it promotes neural survival and anti-inflammatory results.
Researchers published in the prestigious British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found CBD to be effective in treating movement symptoms. They found no negative side effects or toxicity involved in its use and reported CBD’s powerful properties as an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotectant and anxiolytic or anti-anxiety agent.
Final Thoughts on CBD and Huntingtons
Like most neurodegenerative disorders, Huntington’s disease is chronic, progressive and only gets worse with time. There is a great deal of suffering as the movement, emotional, and cognitive symptoms develop. While certain medications and therapies can help manage symptoms and maintain quality of life, there is no cure and most medications come with side effects, some very serious. Researchers began examining the possibility of CBD being used to treat symptoms of Huntington’s disease as early as 1986 and they continue today in their quest in delaying, preventing or treating the disease. Hopefully, CBD will become a viable option for people diagnosed with Huntington’s disease.