Depression in Huntington’s Disease

Depression is the most frequent psychiatric symptom in Huntington’s disease (HD), which often presents already in the early stage of the disease and may even precede motor symptoms. Symptoms like sadness, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, feelings of tiredness, and poor concentration characterize depression. Atrophy of the caudate nucleus and putamen, which are involved in the frontal subcortical circuits, is discussed as pathophysiological correlates of depression in HD. Although HD is an incurable disease, treatment of its symptoms is especially important in order to improve quality of life and to prevent deterioration and occurrence of other symptoms such as suicide risk and cognitive decline.