Compare/Contrast Alzheimers Disease and Huntingtons Disease
“COMPARE AND CONTRAST” – ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE /HUNTINGTON’S DISEASE This is a compare & contrast assignment between Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Huntington’s disease (HD), which was formerly known as Huntington’s chorea. It will be discussing and providing the similarities and differences between the two disorders. This essay will be demonstrating the differences and similarities by way of talking about the aetiology, pathology and pathophysiology of the two diseases; also how they present themselves, their signs and symptoms, the diagnosis, both differential and definitive, the treatment and the prognosis of them. Also some contemporary research findings and some population health statitistics will also be discussed. AETIOLOGY PATHOLOGY AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS NATURAL HISTORY PROGNOSIS DIAGNOSIS TREATMENT Like AD there is no cure for HD, and there are not any medications that can slow the disease down, they will only help with the motor symptoms. As well as prescribing the drugs that are given for AD the doctor may include antidepressants with low doses of antipsychotic drugs, as depression and suicide are factors with HD sufferers. Again coenzyme Q10 can also be used. OTHER INFORMATION CONCLUSION Throughout this assignment there has been a comparison and contrast between Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease. It has become apparent that they do have many similarities’within their neurological problems, they both have brain atrophy where the cells of the brain dies and shrinks, they both have cognitive problems and in the later stages they both become fully dependent on a carer because they lose all ability to care for themselves. The contrast between the AD and HD is that in the late stages the AD sufferer does not recognise their surroundings or their family, whereas the HD sufferer, although suffering from short term memory loss is still aware of their surroundings and environment and recognises