Dr. Jane Paulsen will join HDSA next week to discuss a new observational trial, PREVENT-HD, Preparing for the Prevention of Huntington’s disease. The goal of this study is to develop tools to measure the effectiveness of clinical interventions for HD before symptoms begin to effect daily life. Biomarkers to track the disease in this premanifest stage will support the development of treatments that can be implemented to delay or prevent the onset of HD. To learn more, register to join the webinar at 12PM EST on 11/3/21 here. The webinar will be recorded and made available on HDSA’s YouTube channel for anyone unable to attend. Additional information on the PREVENT-HD study can be found on HD Trialfinder.
Structural brain changes may reveal insights into progression of HD
A study recently published in Neurology Genetics has used structural MRI (sMRI) data to track the progression of neurodegeneration in Huntington’s disease. Using data from TRACK-HD and PREDICT-HD studies, the researchers were able to analyze longitudinal data from 284 participants to develop a model that measures brain atrophy in HD. Changes in regional brain volume were most dramatic in the striatum, which was deemed the region most suitable for tracking changes that lead to HD symptom progression. Further development of this biomarker could inform clinical trials and provide new insights into the outcomes of therapeutic interventions or timeline of predicted onset of symptoms in HD.
HSG 2021: Unmasking HD
The 28th Annual Meeting of the Huntington’s Study Group will commence virtually one week from today, from Nov 4-6, 2021. Thursday and Friday programming will focus on HD science and include interactive sessions of plenary presentations, panel discussions, and live Q&A sessions to discuss the latest updates in the HD research landscape. HSG’s annual Family Day Symposium will take place on Saturday the 6th and will provide the opportunity for HD families to hear directly from HD experts and community advocates. To view the full program or register to join, click here.
