[Catecholamine metabolism in Huntington's chorea (in patients and their phenotypically healthy relatives)]

Abstract

Excretion of free catecholamines and dopamine was examined in 18 patients with Huntington's chorea and in their phenotypically healthy relatives (16 persons). A relationship between the level of the dopamine excretion and the degree of the hyperkinetic disturbances has been revealed. Part of the healthy relatives showed a substantial increase in dopamine excretion. It is suggested that dopamine metabolism disturbances play the leading role in the disease development, and that it would be wise to use therapeutic agents acting upon the striatum small cells and dopaminergic receptors.