Assessing Behavioral Symptoms in Huntington Disease
Author Information
Author(s): Anthony L Vaccarino, Karen E. Anderson, Beth Borowsky, Emil Craufurd, Jean Endicott, Joseph Giuliano, Mark Groves, Mark Guttman, Aileen K Ho, Peter Kupchak, Jane S. Paulsen, Matthew S. Stanford, Daniel P van Kammen, David Watson, Kevin D Wu, Ken Evans
Primary Institution: Ontario Cancer Biomarker Network
Hypothesis
Can we develop a valid scale to assess early behavioral symptoms in Huntington disease gene expansion carriers?
Conclusion
The study successfully developed and beta tested interview questions for assessing 'Anger and Irritability' and 'Obsessions and Compulsions' in individuals at risk for Huntington disease.
Supporting Evidence
- The study involved input from patients, caregivers, and experts to develop relevant interview questions.
- Field testing was conducted with a target sample size of 100 participants.
- Six interview questions were identified for further testing based on their scoring and discrimination properties.
Takeaway
Researchers are trying to find out how people with a gene for Huntington disease feel before they get sick, focusing on anger and obsessive thoughts.
Methodology
The study involved developing interview questions through input from experts and field testing them with individuals at risk for Huntington disease.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from self-reported symptoms and the small sample size for some questions.
Limitations
Some symptoms were rarely endorsed, limiting their usefulness for assessment.
Participant Demographics
{"total":225,"prHD":190,"HD":35,"male_percentage":44,"age_range":"18-81"}
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.81
Statistical Significance
p = 0.81
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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