Cognitive, Emotional, and Rehabilitative Aspects of HD
Abnormal Behavior Develops Early in HD Mice
Researchers have observed behavioral abnormalities in certain mouse models of HD before the actual onset of the disease (before the mice showed the characteristic symptoms of HD). (For more information on transgenic mice, click here.) By the time the mice were four to five weeks old, the researchers noticed changes in how the mice learned to fear certain stimuli and the way in which they explored their environment. These behavioral anomalies correspond to the earliest HD-related molecular and chemical changes in the bodies of the mice. This discovery may help researchers to identify the mechanisms that link the changes taking place in cells and their individual parts to symptoms that occur later in the course of HD. This is also an important finding because it can lead to earlier diagnosis and preventative treatment.
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