E148

BRAIN - Huntington's disease

Description
The upper brain slice is abnormal; the lower normal. These have been taken at approximately the same level in the brain. The gyri are relatively small and the sulci prominent. The lateral ventricles are dilated, the basal ganglia shrunken, and the head of the caudate nucleus is flattened over the floor of the lateral side of the anterior horns.
History
This woman died at the age of 53; she was diagnosed as Huntington's disease some 8 years before. The family history showed that her father, an uncle and her sister had the same disease. A year before her death she was admitted with psychosis and following this she deteriorated with increasing difficulties in swallowing.