Huntington's Disease

[siouxsie]

I just found out that I have celiac-sprue. While waiting for the results I talked w/ some cousins and found out that two aunts and one cousin also suffer from horrendous gas, bloating, etc. w/o a clear cut cause. They think maybe lactose or perhaps it's their diabetes. Well, no one knows of this disease in my family but I do know that my relatives w/ similiar symptoms all have Huntington's disease which is a genetic neorological disorder. Just wondering if any one else knows of a connerction between these two diseases.

Suzanne

[seeking-wholeness]

Suzanne,

I'm no expert, but I don't think that there is a connection between celiac disease and Huntington's disease. Both are genetic, but they have completely different transmission patterns--and if they were caused by the same gene, I have no doubt we would all know about it! celiac disease has a *predisposing* gene (actually two), but even if you carry one of these genes, there is no guarantee that you will ever develop the disease itself. Huntington's disease is a degenerative neurological disorder that usually shows up after the childbearing years. Unfortunately, the gene that causes it is dominant, which means that if you inherit it from *one* of your parents, you will *definitely* get the disease. (Most genetic diseases, like cystic fibrosis and sickle-cell anemia for instance, are transmitted by recessive genes--meaning that you have to inherit a copy of the defective gene from *each* parent to have the disease. If you inherit only a single gene, you will be a "carrier" and can possibly pass the disease to your offspring, but you will have minimal if any symptoms yourself. This is unfortunately NOT how Huntington's disease works!)

Your relatives with Huntington's disease may ALSO have celiac disease and should be checked out (and you may want to be checked for Huntington's disease, depending on your age and your parents' health--I hope Huntington's disease doesn't run in your branch of the family!).

Hope this helps!

[LUAP]

HAVE A LOOK AT THIS

It has long been accepted that neurological disease can result as a complication of celiac disease, due to malabsorption and subsequent VITAMIN DEFICIENCY.

What is NEW information is that the neurological and neuromuscular disease associated with gluten sensitivity may ALSO result from a direct immunological attack of brain, nerve, and muscle tissue. In addition, this can occur without any signs of intestinal damage, which is the cornerstone for a diagnosis of celiac disease. Sometimes, intestinal disease will follow several years later. It is possible that neurological disease is the sole manifestation of gluten sensitivity.

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PAUL