Huntington’s Disease: Heart Drug Shows Promise
- A new study from University of Iowa Health Care indicates that a common heart medication, beta-blockers, may influence the progression of Huntington's disease (HD).
- Researchers analyzed data from over 21,000 individuals with HD.
- jordan Schultz, assistant professor of psychiatry at UI and lead author, noted the excitement surrounding these findings.
Groundbreaking research suggests a common heart medication, beta-blockers, may significantly impact Huntington’s disease (HD) progression. A University of Iowa study reveals a correlation between beta-blocker use and delayed symptom onset, alongside a slowdown of symptom worsening in existing patients. The study, published in JAMA neurology, analyzed data from over 21,000 individuals, offering a novel approach to possibly slow the effects of this debilitating disease using beta-blockers.This offers hope for new treatments. The team plans clinical trials, building on the potential of targeting the autonomic nervous system. News Directory 3 is on the forefront of spreading awareness. discover what’s next as research continues.
Common Heart Drug Shows Promise in Slowing Huntington’s Disease
A new study from University of Iowa Health Care indicates that a common heart medication, beta-blockers, may influence the progression of Huntington’s disease (HD). the research, focusing on the potential of beta-blockers in managing Huntington’s disease, was published in JAMA Neurology.
Researchers analyzed data from over 21,000 individuals with HD. They discovered that beta-blocker use correlated with a delayed onset of HD symptoms in pre-symptomatic individuals and a slower rate of symptom worsening in those already exhibiting symptoms. This offers a potential new avenue for Huntington’s disease therapy.
jordan Schultz, assistant professor of psychiatry at UI and lead author, noted the excitement surrounding these findings. “Given that there are no disease-modifying agents for HD, the possibility that beta-blockers, which are cheap and have a known safety profile, may provide benefit to patients at various stages of the disease is very exciting,” Schultz said.He added that the autonomic nervous system could be a novel target for modifying the disease course of HD.
Beta-blockers function by inhibiting norepinephrine, a hormone involved in the “fight or flight” response. Prior research suggested that HD patients exhibit a heightened “fight or flight” response, even at rest. Researchers hypothesized that dampening this response might have a therapeutic role in Huntington’s disease.
The study utilized data from Enroll-HD, the world’s largest observational study for Huntington’s disease families. The database tracks over 21,000 patients, collecting annual clinical information on motor, functional, and cognitive symptoms, as well as medication use.
Researchers divided patients into preHD (those with the genetic mutation but no symptoms) and motor-manifest HD (mmHD) groups.They then matched 174 preHD and 149 mmHD beta-blocker users with similar non-users.
The analysis revealed that preHD beta-blocker users had a significantly lower risk of receiving an HD diagnosis compared to non-users. Among the mmHD group, beta-blocker users experienced a significant slowing of motor, cognitive, and functional symptom worsening.
These results suggest that beta-blockers may benefit patients in both pre-symptomatic and symptomatic phases of Huntington’s disease, offering a potential new therapy for HD.
“It is vital to note that this study reports associations between beta-blocker use in patients with HD and delayed onset and slowing of disease progression, but the data does not prove cause and effect,” said Schultz, who is also a member of the Iowa Neuroscience Institute.
What’s next
The UI team plans to conduct clinical trials of beta-blockers as a potential disease modifier for huntington’s disease. Further research will explore how autonomic dysfunction in HD can be targeted for disease modification.