The role of psychiatry in genetic prediction programmes for Huntington's disease

Abstract

Psychiatrists are becoming increasingly involved in the assessment of candidates for genetic testing for Huntington's disease (HD) in which their role ranges from diagnosing conventional psychiatric disorder to identifying ‘new odd behaviours'. They are also expected to predict dysfunctional response to test results (e.g. self-harm). This paper describes the psychiatric component of the Cambridge HD Clinic and its assessment protocols. Practical concepts, useful to the understanding of the clinical problems that may be encountered, are also discussed.