简介:BACKGROUND:Itisdifficulttoattractinterestinnon-compulsory,preventive,medicalcare,andpersonsdiagnosedwithcertaindiseasesoftenignoretheexistenceofthesediseases.However,Huntington'sdisease(HD)isanexception.OBJECTIVE:ToqualitativelyanalyzefactorsmotivatingHDpatientstoparticipateinastudy,namelytheEuropeanHuntington'sDiseaseNetwork(EHDN)REGISTRY.DESIGN,TIMEANDSETTING:AnobservationalsurveywasconductedintheEHDNStudySiteinPoznan,Polandbetween2007and2008.PARTICIPANTS:Thestudyinvolved22personsaffectedwithHDand3pre-symptomaticindividuals,totaling9malesand16females.The24participantsinthisstudyhad24differentcaregivers.Atotalof25symptomaticorpre-symptomaticsubjectsparticipatedintheinitialREGISTRYvisit,aswellas6inthesecond,and1inthethird.Allsubjectsdidnotknoweachotherpriortothevisit.METHODS:AmutationintheIT15genewasconfirmedineachpatientorpre-symptomaticmutationcarrier.Anin-depthinterviewproduceddetailedinformationontheHDpatients,aswellasthecaregivers,fortheREGISTRYstudy.MAINOUTCOMEMEASURES:AqualitativeanalysisofthefactorsmotivatingHDpatientsandthepre-symptomaticmutationcarrierstoparticipateintheREGISTRYlongitudinal,observational,researchprojectwasperformed.RESULTS:TheprimarymotivatingfactorforinvolvementofHDpatientsandthecaregiversintheREGISTRYstudywasthehopethataneffectiveHDtherapywouldsoonbediscovered.InHDpatientsandthepre-symptomaticgroup,theresponsetoparticipateintheREGISTRYprojectreached100%,despitethefactthattheyknewtheprojectwasonlyanobservationalstudy.CONCLUSION:Patienthopeisthoughttobeafactorforengaginginpreventive,therapeuticactivities.However,thisisrarelymentionedinmedicalpapersandclinicaltextbooks,andisusuallyoverlookedinmedicalteaching.Clearly,effortsshouldbemadetoincludethisinclinicalpractice.
简介:Thequestforneuroprotectivedrugstoslowtheprogressionofneurodegenerativediseases(NDDs),includingAlzheimer'sdisease(AD),Parkinson'sdisease(PD),andHuntington'sdisease(HD),hasbeenlargelyunrewarding.Preclinicalevidencesuggeststhatrepurposingquetiapine,lithium,valproate,fluoxetine,donepezil,andmemantineforearlyandpre-symptomaticdisease-modificationinNDDsmaybepromisingandcanspareregulatorybarriers.Theliteratureofthesepsychotropicsinearlystageandpre-symptomaticAD,PD,andHDisreviewedandpropitiousfindingsfollow.Mildcognitiveimpairment(MCI)phaseofAD:salutaryhumanrandomizedcontrolledtrialfindingsforlow-doselithiumand,inselectedpatients,donepezilawaitreplication.Pre-symptomaticAD:humanepidemiologicaldataindicatethatlithiumreducesADrisk.Animalmodelstudies(AMS)revealencouragingresultsforquetiapine,lithium,donepezil,andmemantine.EarlyPD:valproateAMSfindingsshowpromise.Pre-symptomaticPD:lithiumandvalproateAMSfindingsareencouraging.EarlyHD:uncontrolledclinicaldataindicatenon-progressionwithlithium,fluoxetine,donepezil,andmemantine.Pre-symptomaticHD:lithiumandvalproateareauspiciousinAMS.Manyotherpromisingfindingsawaitingreplication(valproateinMCI;lithium,valproate,fluoxetineinpre-symptomaticAD;lithiuminearlyPD;lithium,valproate,fluoxetineinpre-symptomaticPD;donepezilinearlyHD;lithium,fluoxetine,memantineinpre-symptomaticHD)arereviewed.Dose-andstage-dependenteffectsareconsidered.Suggestionsforsignal-enhancementinhumantrialsareprovidedforeachNDDstage.