The Hereditary Disease Foundation (hdf)
The main aim of the Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF) is to cure genetic illnesses through supporting research in biomedical. Dr. MILTON WEXKLER started this foundation when his wife was diagnosed with Huntington's disease. In solving the mysteries of genetic disease and as well develop new cures, the foundation uses a variety of strategies, workshops and as well grants, fellow ships and basically targeted contracts in research. In essence, it focuses on Huntington's disease which is a fatal autosoamal-dominant neuroligal illness that causes it.
There are many things that come along with Huntington's disease. Apart form the fact that the patient can experience its fatality in the form of severe emotional disturbance and involuntary movements, each child of an affected parent bares a 50% risk of inheriting the disease. It is believed that this disease is in its third or fourth year of life but a child as young as two years or even eighty year old adults may as well develop the symptoms.
The Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF) does its hereditary disease research using the Huntington's disease as a model. This is basically due to the fact that it is triggered by a single gene mutation. What could be however instrumental in finding ways to treat other more genetic illnesses like Parkinson's, Alzheimer's among others, will be the progress towards treatment of the Huntington's disease?
So far $50million has been given to support pioneering research and genetics, therapy in gene, molecular and cell biology, survival and death of the cells, models of animals, neurophysiology, neutophamagology, among other areas that are relevant to understating the disease inheritance. This money has been given by the foundation.
Sponsored workshops held many times a year are among the centerpiece of the foundation. The program was started by Milton Wexler which was aimed at bringing scientists together form different academic disciplines to brainstorm. This was usually done in the absence of prepared lectures or slides but all the same they were entitled to explore new research directions.
The Hereditary Disease Foundation (HD) offered numerous funding opportunities which included;
* The basic results grant programs
* The John J.Wasmuth postdoctoral fellowships
* The Lieberman award
* And as well the Milton Wexler postdoctoral fellowship awards.
In addition, donations are always accepted by check and credit cards. For other information, you can consult the Hereditary Disease Foundation (HDF). It always believes that no other organization comes close as its integrity is exemplary
Showing posts with label Genetics Disease. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Genetics Disease. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Symptoms Of Huntingtons Disease
Symptoms Of Huntingtons Disease
Huntington's disease is genetic disease named after a 19th century physician. It is an inherited disease; which affects the central nervous system, its manifestation being the loss of cognitive and motor functions of the body. It is brought about by the inheritance of a faulty gene; which takes approximately three or four decades to show. It is mainly found in adults, although young people are developing it nowadays. It is difficult to arrest this gene in an early stage since there are no symptoms of the disease in the early stages of one's life. The symptoms may develop much earlier but they are most of the time treated as symptoms of other illness, rather than Huntington's disease. It can be only be managed as there is no known cure of the disease.
It has physical and psychological symptoms. A person exhibiting the symptoms of Huntington's disease suddenly becomes slow and clumsy in physical movements. He may later develop schizophrenia and memory loss. The slow and clumsy movements may not seem as symptoms of anything to the average person and the chances of overlooking it are high. It may be thought to be a manifestation of low self esteem or shyness. There is less and less control of motor movements as the disease progresses. With time, a person with Huntington's disease will find it hard to keep a straight posture. The speech becomes affected and he can no longer control the pitch of his voice
Huntington's disease impairs the mind of the sufferer and the longer he has been suffering the more the mental impairment. He does not have memory and cannot comprehend simple things. This is where the person with Huntington's disease becomes totally reliant on other persons. He needs assistance in everything. Depression and irritability sets in as the person can no longer do things that he used to do for himself. These are irreversible, and get worse as the disease progresses.
It is easier to diagnose the disease now than ever before by looking at the genetic history of a person. Since it is inherited, a person will be predisposed to Huntington's disease if a family member had the disease. It has no prevention or cure and management of the Huntington's disease has it own unique challenges. Tranquilizers are used to control the uncontrollable jerking movements. Speech and occupational therapies help preserve some functions of the body as the disease progresses.
Huntington's disease is genetic disease named after a 19th century physician. It is an inherited disease; which affects the central nervous system, its manifestation being the loss of cognitive and motor functions of the body. It is brought about by the inheritance of a faulty gene; which takes approximately three or four decades to show. It is mainly found in adults, although young people are developing it nowadays. It is difficult to arrest this gene in an early stage since there are no symptoms of the disease in the early stages of one's life. The symptoms may develop much earlier but they are most of the time treated as symptoms of other illness, rather than Huntington's disease. It can be only be managed as there is no known cure of the disease.
It has physical and psychological symptoms. A person exhibiting the symptoms of Huntington's disease suddenly becomes slow and clumsy in physical movements. He may later develop schizophrenia and memory loss. The slow and clumsy movements may not seem as symptoms of anything to the average person and the chances of overlooking it are high. It may be thought to be a manifestation of low self esteem or shyness. There is less and less control of motor movements as the disease progresses. With time, a person with Huntington's disease will find it hard to keep a straight posture. The speech becomes affected and he can no longer control the pitch of his voice
Huntington's disease impairs the mind of the sufferer and the longer he has been suffering the more the mental impairment. He does not have memory and cannot comprehend simple things. This is where the person with Huntington's disease becomes totally reliant on other persons. He needs assistance in everything. Depression and irritability sets in as the person can no longer do things that he used to do for himself. These are irreversible, and get worse as the disease progresses.
It is easier to diagnose the disease now than ever before by looking at the genetic history of a person. Since it is inherited, a person will be predisposed to Huntington's disease if a family member had the disease. It has no prevention or cure and management of the Huntington's disease has it own unique challenges. Tranquilizers are used to control the uncontrollable jerking movements. Speech and occupational therapies help preserve some functions of the body as the disease progresses.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)