NJ CURE HD is a statewide organization, comprised of passionate individuals, united as a community, in the fight against Huntington’s Disease.
Huntington's Disease results from a genetically programmed degeneration of brain cells. A child with an HD parent has a 50-50 chance of inheriting the gene. A person who inherits the HD gene will sooner or later develop the disease. Some early symptoms of HD are mood swings, depression, irritability or trouble driving, learning new things, remembering a fact, or making a decision. As the disease p
rogresses, concentration on intellectual tasks becomes increasingly difficult and the patient may have difficulty feeding himself or herself and swallowing. HD causes uncontrolled movements & loss of intellectual faculties. At this time, there is no way to stop or reverse the course of HD. Huntington's Disease usually progresses over a 10-25 year period. Death follows from complications such as choking, infection or heart failure. Now that the HD gene has been located, investigators are continuing to study the HD gene with an eye toward understanding how it causes disease in the human body.
