Depression and Stages of Huntington’s Disease

Individuals with manifest Huntington’s disease (HD) were interviewed with regard to the presence, frequency, and severity of depression symptoms to better characterize depressed mood across the disease course in HD. Rates of depression were more than twice that found in the general population. One-half reported that they had sought treatment for depression, and more than 10% reported having at least one suicide attempt. The proportion of HD patients endorsing significant depression diminished with disease progression. Despite the public health impact of depression, available treatments are underutilized in HD, and research is needed to document the efficacy and effectiveness of standard depression treatments in this population.