Huntington's Disease

Cognitive Decline

HD is often characterized by progressive dementia or gradual impairment of the mental processes involved in comprehension, reasoning, judgment, and memory.

Early signs of cognitive decline may include:

• Forgetfulness
• Difficulty maintaining focus and attention

As HD progresses, additional symptoms may develop including:

• Increased difficulty concentrating
• Inability to absorb and understand new information
• Impaired ability to engage in problem solving
• Diminished memory retrieval
• Progressively impaired judgment and impulse control
• Diminished language skills with disorganized speech
• Increasingly impaired ability to plan, initiate, or perform certain purposeful movements (apraxia)

In addition, communication difficulties may include problems expressing thoughts in words, initiating conversations, or comprehending others' words and responding appropriately.