Natural biological variation of white matter microstructure is accentuated in Huntington's disease.

ABSTRACT: Huntington's disease (HD) is a monogenic neurodegenerative disorder caused by a CAG-repeat expansion in the Huntingtin gene. Presence of this expansion signifies certainty of disease onset, but only partly explains age at which onset occurs. Genome-wide association studies have shown that naturally occurring genetic variability influences HD pathogenesis and disease onset. Investigating the influence of biological traits in the normal population, such as variability in white matter properties, on HD pathogenesis could provide a complementary approach to understanding disease modification. We have previously shown that while white matter diffusivity patterns in the left sensorimotor network were similar in controls and HD gene-carriers, they were more extreme in the HD group. We hypothesize

SUBMITTER: Gregory S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6099203 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature