Huntington's disease: A decade beyond gene discovery

Huntington's disease is a dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disease that causes a progressive movement disorder, cognitive decline, and varying degrees of psychiatric dysfunction. The identification of the mutant gene in 1993 paved the way for a decade of basic research. The resultant advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disorder are moving us toward rational therapies to slow the progression and delay the onset of the illness.