Anxiety in Huntington’s disease

Abstract

Anxiety is common in Huntington’s disease (HD), though it has been under-researched. The authors conducted a systematic review of anxiety in HD. The prevalence of anxiety in manifest HD ranged from 13% to 71%. No significant difference in anxiety between manifest and premanifest HD carriers was revealed. Anxiety appears to be associated with depression, suicide, irritability, quality of life (QoL), pain, illness beliefs, and coping styles but does not seem to be linked with measures of disease progression. From the few pilot studies available, interventions that show promise include olanzapine and psychosocial approaches. Improved assessment, more exploration of the nature of anxiety in HD, and evaluation of anxiety interventions are required.