Basic Neurobiology of Huntington’s Disease

What happens in the brain following the onset of HD?

Now let’s look at the broader picture and ask a number of questions about the way in which the C-A-G triplet repeat in the genes of people with HD manifests itself in the symptoms of HD. We’ll focus on changes in the brain that take place with the onset of HD.

• What is a nerve cell?
• How do nerve impulses work?
• What parts of the brain are most affected in HD patients?
• What are the functions of the basal ganglia?
• How does HD cause striatal and cortical nerve cells to die?

Last Modified: 9-13-02

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