Summary

Huntington’s disease, or Huntington’s chorea, is a progressive genetic disease marked by death of brain cells coupled with loss of muscular control and coordination, declining mental abilities, and erratic behavior. Currently, this form of dementia has no cure. Huntington’s Disease, Second Edition introduces this disease, detailing its history and progression, and discusses the search for the gene that causes it and the development of genetic tests for the gene. This title also addresses the ethical questions of testing people for a disease whose symptoms typically develop later in life.

Specifications

eBook

About the Author(s)

Brian Shmaefsky is a professor of biology and environmental sciences at Kingwood College near Houston, Texas. He did his undergraduate studies in biology at Brooklyn College in New York and completed masters and doctoral studies at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. His research emphasis is in environmental physiology. Dr. Shmaefsky has many publications on science education, some appearing in American Biology Teacher and the Journal of College Science Teaching. He regularly consults on college textbook and virtual learning projects. Dr. Shmaefsky is also very active serving on environmental awareness, environmental justice, and natural resource policy committees locally and internationally.

David M. Lawrence holds master’s degrees in geography from George Mason University and journalism from Columbia University. He has worked as an independent researcher and research assistant in forest ecology and dendrochronology at a number of institutions, including Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, and has served as a reporter, editor, and producer at daily newspapers and Web sites in Louisiana, New Jersey, and Virginia.