Around 5,000 Scots at risk of brain disorder with no known cure

Huntington’s disease (HD) is an incurable brain disorder that usually starts between the ages of 30 and 50 years.

It causes three main groups of symptoms including changes to thinking processes and loss of muscle control.

As it progresses, those affected will need round-the-clock care. It is also hereditary, with each child of those diagnosed at 50% risk of developing the disease. There is no known cure.

It is estimated there are around 1,100 people living with HD in Scotland, and about 5,000 potentially at risk.