Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Medical Genetics logoLink to Journal of Medical Genetics
. 1995 May;32(5):358–362. doi: 10.1136/jmg.32.5.358

Cognitive performance in UK sample of presymptomatic people carrying the gene for Huntington's disease.

L Blackmore 1, S A Simpson 1, J R Crawford 1
PMCID: PMC1050430  PMID: 7616542

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation of cognitive ability in 30 subjects at risk for Huntington's disease. Those shown to be at high or low risk for this disease are compared on a wide range of neuropsychological measures. Results indicate only one significant difference between the two groups; those who carry the gene show a higher level of performance on the Corsi Supraspan task. It is suggested, however, that minimal deficits are apparent in the at risk gene carrying group but that current measures of assessment are not sensitive enough to identify them.

Full text

PDF
362

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BENTON A. L. A multiple choice type of the visual retention test. AMA Arch Neurol Psychiatry. 1950 Nov;64(5):699–707. doi: 10.1001/archneurpsyc.1950.02310290095010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Butters N., Sax D., Montgomery K., Tarlow S. Comparison of the neuropsychological deficits associated with early and advanced Huntington's disease. Arch Neurol. 1978 Sep;35(9):585–589. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1978.00500330033006. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Diamond R., White R. F., Myers R. H., Mastromauro C., Koroshetz W. J., Butters N., Rothstein D. M., Moss M. B., Vasterling J. Evidence of presymptomatic cognitive decline in Huntington's disease. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol. 1992 Nov;14(6):961–975. doi: 10.1080/01688639208402547. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Graf P., Squire L. R., Mandler G. The information that amnesic patients do not forget. J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 1984 Jan;10(1):164–178. doi: 10.1037//0278-7393.10.1.164. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Gusella J. F., Wexler N. S., Conneally P. M., Naylor S. L., Anderson M. A., Tanzi R. E., Watkins P. C., Ottina K., Wallace M. R., Sakaguchi A. Y. A polymorphic DNA marker genetically linked to Huntington's disease. Nature. 1983 Nov 17;306(5940):234–238. doi: 10.1038/306234a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Heindel W. C., Butters N., Salmon D. P. Impaired learning of a motor skill in patients with Huntington's disease. Behav Neurosci. 1988 Feb;102(1):141–147. doi: 10.1037//0735-7044.102.1.141. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Jason G. W., Pajurkova E. M., Suchowersky O., Hewitt J., Hilbert C., Reed J., Hayden M. R. Presymptomatic neuropsychological impairment in Huntington's disease. Arch Neurol. 1988 Jul;45(7):769–773. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1988.00520310079021. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Josiassen R. C., Curry L. M., Mancall E. L. Development of neuropsychological deficits in Huntington's disease. Arch Neurol. 1983 Dec;40(13):791–796. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1983.04050120041005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Lyle O. E., Gottesman I. I. Premorbid psychometric indicators of the gene for Huntington's disease. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1977 Dec;45(6):1011–1022. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.45.6.1011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Lyle O., Quast W. The Bender Gestalt: use of clinical judgment versus recall scores in prediction in Huntington's disease. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1976 Apr;44(2):229–232. doi: 10.1037//0022-006x.44.2.229. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Milner B. Interhemispheric differences in the localization of psychological processes in man. Br Med Bull. 1971 Sep;27(3):272–277. doi: 10.1093/oxfordjournals.bmb.a070866. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Nelson H. E. A modified card sorting test sensitive to frontal lobe defects. Cortex. 1976 Dec;12(4):313–324. doi: 10.1016/s0010-9452(76)80035-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. PEARSON J. S., PETERSEN M. C., LAZARTE J. A., BLODGETT H. E., KLEY I. B. An educational approach to the social problem of Huntington's chorea. Proc Staff Meet Mayo Clin. 1955 Aug 10;30(16):349–357. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. SIEGMAN A. W. The effect of manifest anxiety on a concept formation task, a nondirected learning task and on timed and untimed intelligence tests. J Consult Psychol. 1956 Jun;20(3):176–178. doi: 10.1037/h0041481. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Shallice T., Evans M. E. The involvement of the frontal lobes in cognitive estimation. Cortex. 1978 Jun;14(2):294–303. doi: 10.1016/s0010-9452(78)80055-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Simpson S. A., Besson J., Alexander D., Allan K., Johnston A. W. One hundred requests for predictive testing for Huntington's disease. Clin Genet. 1992 Jun;41(6):326–330. doi: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.1992.tb03407.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Strauss M. E., Brandt J. Are there neuropsychologic manifestations of the gene for Huntington's disease in asymptomatic, at-risk individuals? Arch Neurol. 1990 Aug;47(8):905–908. doi: 10.1001/archneur.1990.00530080093016. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Wilson R. S., Garron D. C. Psychological features of Huntington's disease and the problem of early detection. Soc Biol. 1980 Spring;27(1):11–19. doi: 10.1080/19485565.1980.9988399. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Medical Genetics are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES