Our friends at HDBuzz created phenomenal real-time summaries of the presentations at the HD Therapeutics Conference held by CHDI last week in Palm Springs, California. HDBuzz writers tweeted as the speakers shared their findings over the course of three days. If you want a quick overview of the hottest topics in HD research today, check out the three days of Twitter threads which have been conveniently consolidated into HDBuzz articles covering Day 1Day 2, and Day 3 of the conference.  

 

Physical Therapy in HD: New Guidelines and HSG Insights Podcast  

The HD Insights Podcast by the Huntington Study Group presents long-form interviews with folks who are shaping HD research and care. This week the features Lori Quinn of Columbia University and Dr. Nora Fritz of Wayne State University. Both hold professorships in Physical Therapy (PT) at their respective universities, where their research focuses on the benefits of PT interventions in neurodegenerative disorders like Huntington’s Disease.  

 

HSG announced this week that Quinn and Fritz have recently published clinical guidelines for the use of PT to help people with Huntington’s disease. Their recent publication is based on their own practices as well as a thorough review of many previously published studies, and ultimately they conclude that “there is strong evidence to support physical therapy interventions to improve fitness, motor function, and gait in persons with HD.” In this interview they discuss their joint efforts in PT for HD, as well as considerations around these guidelines for doctors, patients, and caregivers.  

 

Rare Disease Day 

Saturday, February 29th was Rare Disease Day 2020, and HDSA joined with the community across borders and diseases to raise awareness about rare disorders like HD through our #LetsTalkAboutHD campaign. Check out the worldwide impact of Rare Disease Day.