For decades, Huntington’s disease has haunted families, passing down generations like a dark legacy. Just this week, scientists have finally found a groundbreaking cure to slow down the disease, offering hope and a fear-free future for entire families. Once again, modern medicine has proved that hope can be found in what was once an inevitable curse.
Huntington’s disease is a ruthless genetic disease that causes nerve cells to decay over time. It leads to a mix of movement problems like involuntary twitching and difficulty with speech and walking. It also leads to cognitive decline as well as mental health conditions like depression, OCD, or bipolar disorder. The disease only gets worse with time, which also has a knock-on effect on families and friends who helplessly witness the tragic decline of their loved ones.
When an individual is diagnosed with Huntington’s, the treatment options are very limited, with nothing to slow the progression of the disease. Patients are given medication to help them live with their debilitating symptoms.
However, a groundbreaking gene therapy is now offering hope against the rare, inherited disease. The therapy was undergone by a small trial of 29 people. After three years, they saw the disease progression slow down by 75 per cent compared to patients who had not received treatment. Slowing the disease allows increased years of independence for the individuals with Huntington’s. But it also means hope for families: a neurologist at the University of Alabama, Dr Sung, said: “I cried with every single patient, (…), it was just this crazy feeling that, for the patients and families, almost can’t feel real.”
The therapy is still in trial and is thus not available to the entire population. Regardless, this is a huge milestone, yet it is just the beginning and proves that cures can be found for conditions that once were written off as hopeless. It is a reminder that what seems impossible today may be tomorrow’s breakthrough.
This cutting-edge research should inspire Medical and Biology students at the University of Edinburgh, as it is a crucial field of study. Who knows, maybe a better cure will be found in the laboratories of this university by a student just like you!
Image by National Cancer Institute for Unsplash