Huntington's Chorea

[bearkat]

I would think that medical researchers would have a database of families with Huntingdon's. 

[anthony pearson]

hi
what is huntingdon's disease
i am a pearson member with johnston's from whitehaven
my pearson family come from cumbrland

[emmsthheight]

Hi

This is a link to a paper which covers all sorts including some in depth descriptions of statistical tests used and information about the desease both of which you may either know already or not wish to know.

However it also gives some brief history back to Huntington publishing information on the desease.   Also more relevant to what you mention, some studies of the distribution of the desease in the world and within the UK and America, and links between the desease in the two countries.  

One main area is Suffolk but by no means unique.  Interestingly, one area mentioned for the desease in immigrants  is Ontario, and there was a huge influx of people from this area into Ontario.

This may just give ideas for where to look for more specific named information.

One thought, on looking for your family names, Ontario is very good at publishing genealogical information.  There are some large runs of death register indexes on the library edition of Ancestry.  I've used them for a large family group and you can view the actual death certificates which give causes of death and also the length of duration and institutions dealing with the patient.

A bit slow andnot easy reading, but you may find some of your family names.

If you can't find the other links in Whitehaven, they may have come in by ship from another area, as many did - Scotland, Ireland, Wales, South coast and mare as well as abroad.

Not quite what you need, but a bit more information.

I'll see what organisations I can see locally who may know.


http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1684448/pdf/ajhg00165-0014.pdf

Best wishes

Emms

[emmsthheight]

Hi

A bit shorter than the last one, you'll be glad to hear!

This one suggests that Fletcher Christian (Who emigrated from this coast) and his expedition may be responsible for the desease spreading across the Atlantic!  There is a Pearson in the genealogy at the end.

  I'll have a good read of both articles tomorrow as they're both of interest.

The relevant bit starts part way down the page so I used edit and find on Huntington and Pearson.

Edited:  Whoops, no link!

Here it is!
http://www.rootschat.com/links/07fa/
Best wishes

Emms

[gilyat]

To answer Anthony Pearson, what is Huntingtons Chorea...
All humans have the Huntingtin gene (HTT), which codes for the protein huntingtin (HTT). Part of this gene is a repeated section called a trinucleotide repeat, which varies in length between individuals and may change length between generations.
When the length of this repeated section reaches a certain threshold, it produces an altered form of the protein, called mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT). The differing functions of these proteins are the cause of pathological changes which in turn cause the disease symptoms.
The Huntington's disease mutation is genetically dominant, because either of a person's HTT genes being mutated, causes the disease. It is not inherited according to gender, but the length of the repeated section of the gene, and hence its severity, can be influenced by the gender of the affected parent.
There is no cure unless maybe in the distant future the DNA coding from this mutated gene, can be altered. This is where research is at with all mutated genes, the transcription of which, thro' its pathogenesis, results in these conditions.

[Leeschof]

I see this is an old thread but i will reply anyway.
I have been researching my family as HD runs in my line too, i have family now in their 20s with HD, i have traced it back to the 1800's when many family died in asylums in their 40's clearly with HD as the strain in our family starts early and most die mid 40's.
If there is anything i can do to help please let me know.

[elzabels]

As an older thread no my info no longer relevant! It related to St Vitus Dance