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International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
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Chorea & Huntington's Disease

Clinical Overviews

Chorea

Chorea is an abnormal involuntary movement derived from the Greek word “dance”. It is characterized by brief, abrupt, irregular, unpredictable, non-stereotyped movements. In milder cases, chorea may appear purposeful. The patient often appears fidgety and clumsy. Overall, chorea can affect various body parts, and interfere with speech, swallowing, posture and gait, and disappears in sleep.

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Diagnosis is challenging since chorea has the same phenomenology regardless of its etiology.  Chorea is usually classified as being primary (idiopathic, hereditary) or secondary (acquired). Hereditary choreiform disorders tend to develop insidiously and are generally symmetrical, whereas acquired chorea are more likely to be acute or subacute and can be asymmetrical or unilateral. There is a wide range of seemingly unrelated causes, from pregnancy (chorea gravidarum) to inherited forms such as Huntington’s disease and benign hereditary chorea, infection/immune-related such as Sydenham’s chorea and systemic lupus erythematosus, focal vascular lesions in the basal ganglia, drugs such as levodopa, neuroleptics and oral contraception, or various metabolic and endocrinological disorders such as hyperthyroidism, hypo/hyperparathyroidism and hypo/hyperglycemia. Its pathophysiology involves a functional dysregulation of the basal ganglia motor circuit, where the final thalamic-cortical output is increased, resulting in increased movement and chorea. The disruption of basal ganglia circuitry may be due to structural damage, selective neuronal degeneration, neurotransmitter receptor blockade, metabolic derangements, or autoimmune conditions.

Treatment of chorea entails addressing its root etiology. Unfortunately, no agent has been proven to slow or halt progression of hereditary chorea, with the exception of copper-reducing therapies in Wilson disease. The most common symptomatic treatments of chorea  include the use of dopamine receptor blocking agents and dopamine depleters such as tetrabenazine, valbenazine, and deutetrabenazine.  Autoimmune chorea syndromes such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome may also be responsive to treatment with glucocorticoids, plasma exchange, or intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG).

Contributed by Shu-Leong Ho, MD, FRCP
Henry G. Leong Professor & Chief of Division University of Hong Kong,
Queen Mary Hospital
Division of Neurology, Dept. of Medicine
Hong Kong

2019 Updates Contributed by:

Esther Cubo, MD, PhD
Neurologist
Hospital Universitario Burgos
Burgos, Spain

Mark Guttman, MD, FRCPC
Director
Center for Movement Disorders
Toronto, ON, Canada

Brandon Barton, MD
Assistant Professor
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, IL USA

 

 

Huntington’s disease

Huntington’s disease is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder (therefore, each child of an affected parent has a 50% chance of developing the disease).  It is caused by a cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG) trinucleotide repeat expansion in the huntingtin (HTT) gene on chromosome 4p.  Most people develop Huntington’s disease between 30-54 years old but it can manifest as early as 4 years old and as late as 80 years.  The worldwide prevalence of HD is approximately 2.7 per 100,000.

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Huntington’s disease is clinically characterized by a triad of motor, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms. Motor features include: impairment of involuntary (chorea) and voluntary movements; reduced manual dexterity, slurred speech, swallowing difficulties, balance problems and falls. It may also present with parkinsonism and dystonia (more common in young onset, termed the Westphal variant). Cognitive features are characterized initially by loss of speed and flexibility in thinking, but later develop into global dementia. Psychiatric features may include: depression (most common), mania, obsessive-compulsive disorder, irritability, anxiety, agitation, impulsivity, apathy, and social withdrawal.

Definitive diagnosis is through genetic testing and confirmed by targeted mutation analysis finding of a CAG trinucleotide expansion of ≥36 repeats in the HTT gene. Predictive genetic testing is an option for individuals who are at risk for developing HD, a category which includes asymptomatic individuals with a positive family history of HD, or patients with a positive family history who have prodromal symptoms (e.g., irritability, anxiety, depression, or cognitive impairment) that suggest the impending onset of symptomatic HD. Pretest genetic counseling is recommended before pursuing predictive genetic testing. For HD families, preimplantation genetic testing is possible and therefore to select embryos for transfer without the HD genetic mutation. Prenatal testing is only done in situations where the mother would consider termination of the pregnancy should the fetus test positive. Otherwise, prenatal testing is the same as testing an asymptomatic child, which is not ethically recommended.

For a patient with chorea who is atypical for HD or is negative for HD genetic mutation,  the differential diagnosis is broad and consists of hereditary and acquired causes of chorea.  In these cases, brain MRI can be useful in identifying an alternative diagnosis, such as ischemic infarction, pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration, multiple sclerosis, neoplasm, or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Otherwise, additional testing should be indicated based on medical and family history, physical and neurological exam.

The best care for patients with HD is provided by a multidisciplinary team of health professionals and supportive caregivers that addresses the broad physical and psychologic needs of patients and families, and manages new issues as they arise through long-term follow-up. Dopamine receptor blocking agents or dopamine depleting agents may be used if the chorea is disrupting quality of life. Psychiatric symptoms such as depression, psychosis and agitation are similarly managed as any other psychiatric condition. Non-pharmacologic approaches to some functional difficulties and behavioral dysfunction in Huntington’s disease are important Non-pharmacological interventions include speech therapy and dietary serviced to manage dysphagia and weight loss, physical therapist to address gait impairment and falls, Unfortunately, there is no known effective therapy for dementia associated with HD. Stereotactic surgery (DBS) for severe and disabling cases of chorea has been reported.  Investigational therapies such gene silencing through antisense oligonucleotide techniques are currently underway.

Contributed by Hubert Fernandez, MD
Head, Movement Disorders
Department of Neurology
Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland, Ohio USA
 

2019 Update by Esther Cubo, MD, PhD and Mark Guttman, MD, FRCPC

 

Clinical Papers

 

Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews

 

MDS's Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews use a rigorous methodological approach to outline treatment options.

Treatments for Huntington's Disease (2021)

Read review »

 

Recommended Papers

Useful reference papers about chorea and Huntington's disease, curated by the MDS Website Editorial Board.

 

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Diagnostic criteria for Huntington’s disease based on natural history

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Movement Disorder Society Task Force Viewpoint: Huntington's Disease Diagnostic Categories

Read paper

 

Instructional Video: How Do I?

From the Movement Disorders Clinical Practice journal.

Top Resources

 

View clinical outcome assessments, including the UFMG Sydenham's Chorea Rating Scale (USCRS). 

View USCRS »

View all assessments »

MDSGene

Overview of published data on causative gene mutations. ✪ MEMBERS ONLY

View MDSGene »

 

Video Case Library 

Browse an archive of nearly 2,000 case videos and other multimedia. ✪ MEMBERS ONLY

View case videos »

Patient Handout
Huntington’s Disease: Essential Facts for Patients

Printable handouts  in a variety of languages. 

View handouts »

Latest Articles and Media

 

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Web article

Huntington’s disease: Updates on genetics, therapeutics, and a new cohort

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  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Published paper

The Movement Disorders task force review of dysautonomia rating scales in Parkinson’s disease with regard to symptoms of orthostatic hypotension

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  • Published paper
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  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Web article

Huntington’s Disease in Africa and the Middle East: A Call for Action

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  • Web article
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  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Published paper

Review of Hereditary and Acquired Rare Choreas

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  • Published paper
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  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Podcast

White matter changes in Huntington's disease

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  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Podcast

Huntington's disease | Congress 2019

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  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Published paper

Movement Disorder Society Task Force Viewpoint: Huntington's Disease Diagnostic Categories

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  • Published paper
Areas of Interest subtopics
  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Podcast

Is benign hereditary chorea really benign?

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  • Podcast
Areas of Interest subtopics
  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Published paper

Quality of life in Huntington's disease: Critique and recommendations for measures assessing patient health‐related quality of life and caregiver quality of life

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  • Published paper
Areas of Interest subtopics
  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Published paper

Rating scales for motor symptoms and signs in Huntington's disease: Critique and recommendations

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  • Published paper
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  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Published paper

Rating scales for cognition in Huntington's disease: Critique and recommendations

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  • Published paper
Areas of Interest subtopics
  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Published paper

Rating scales for behavioral symptoms in Huntington's disease: Critique and recommendations

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  • Published paper
Areas of Interest subtopics
  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Published paper

Diagnostic criteria for Huntington’s disease based on natural history

Read the paper

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  • Published paper
Areas of Interest subtopics
  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

Published paper

Huntington's disease: Natural history, biomarkers and prospects for therapeutics

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  • Published paper
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  • Chorea/Huntingtons Disease (HD)

 

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