Excessive response to provocation rather than disinhibition mediates irritable behaviour in Huntington's disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Irritable and impulsive behaviour are common in Huntington's disease (HD: an autosomal dominant disorder causing degeneration in cortico-striatal networks). However, the cognitive mechanisms underlying these symptoms remain unclear, and previous research has not determined if common mechanisms underpin both symptoms. Here we used established and novel tasks to probe different aspects of irritable and impulsive behaviour to determine the neural mechanisms involved.

Methods

We recruited a cohort of 53 gene positive HD participants and 26 controls from non-affected family members and local volunteers. We used established questionnaire measures of irritability in HD (Snaith Irritability Scale, Problem Behaviours Assessment) and impulsivity [Urgency, Premeditation Pers

SUBMITTER: McLauchlan DJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9836783 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature