I found this:

[7thspace.com]

What does it mean ?

I've got a copy of the article and I'm working on an update.

We know that age of onset is influenced by the number of CAG repeats on the HD gene as well as environmental factors. By studying thousands of people in the Venezuela group, we know that there are genetic modifiers of age of onset. Researchers are just starting to figure out what they might be.

The reason why researchers want to do this is because it's a very good indicator of how to treat the disease. Researchers can look for or develop a drug which does the same thing as the gene which delays onset.

I'll write more about what the gene does in the update.

THANK YOU DEEP, FOR POSTING THAT...

now i will just wait for marsha to traslate for us LOL!!!!!!

no problem

so you guys know that medicine they give to alzheimer patients,
that aricept, why dont we take that if its for ageing?

It's not for aging, it's an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. I don't think there's evidence suggesting that it would be of benefit in HD. Some neurologists have prescribed it but I haven't read any positive case reports.

Okay, I thought I'd read a study about Aricept and I found my notes on it. A small clinical trial with HD patients in 2006 found no benefit.

That new research sounds very exciting. I can understand it a little and it sounds very psoitve. It sounds like some of us have some protective genetic material that will delay age of onset for us. And, as Marsha says, researchers may be able to use this inforamtion to develop treatments for others who don't have these protective genes. Sounds promising to me.

Dear Marsha
I heard that some people say the epigenetic processes are as important as the genes. Is there anything on HD in this respect.
Thanks Ernst

I found another article, I don't trust/like the title. Have you heard anything about this Marsha?

[www.hindu.com]

deep

I never trust any press release with the word 'cure' in it. Usually some PR person for the university/lab/medical center/company has written it and the researcher is left fuming about the over-statement. A plant study might possibly provide some insights about genetic stuttering that would apply to human beings but I would bet we won't get any new insight into HD The reason I think this isn't going to come to anything is because human beings are the only living beings with variable CAG repeats on the Huntingtin's protein gene. So whatever produces the instability, it's related to being human.

As for the epigenetic issue, that depends on how the term is defined.

Obviously the inheritance of the HD gene itself is the definitive reason for the disease. There are known genetic modifiers that affect the age of onset, but there are no genetic modifiers that result in people with the gene not getting sick within a normal life span.

If epigenetic is defined as modifications of the activation of genes without changing the underlying DNA (which is a somewhat broader definition than is being used these days), then yes, an epigenetic factor is very important. One of the major problems caused by the HD protein is the dysregulation of gene transcription. Some important genes like BDNF are downregulated while others are upregulated.

Marsha said "Okay, I thought I'd read a study about Aricept and I found my notes on it. A small clinical trial with HD patients in 2006 found no benefit."

Does Memetine act the same as Aricept? acetylcholinesterase inhibitor?
If so, why are they prescribing it for HD?

No, memantine is a glutamate stabilizer.