Treatment of irritability and aggression in Huntington’s disease

Abstract

Irritability and aggression are common in Huntington’s disease (HD) and augment the burden faced by families caring for patients at home. Their presence can make placement in long-term care extremely difficult, since many facilities are not equipped to deal with severe behavioral symptoms, especially in relatively young patients who may be quite strong and therefore capable of harming themselves, facility staff, and other residents. Psychopharmacologic treatment of irritability and aggression can greatly reduce these symptoms in HD. Treatment involves a stepwise approach, depending on the level of symptom severity and urgency of the situation. This approach, based on HD, can also be used as a model for treatment of these symptoms in other neurological conditions.