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Determinants of irritability in Huntington's disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 June 2014

Seshagiri Rao Nimmagadda ,
Niruj Agrawal ,
Anne Worrall-Davies ,
Ivana Markova  and
Hugh Rickards
Seshagiri Rao Nimmagadda*
Affiliation:
Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Thornford Park Hospital, Priory Group, Thatcham, Berkshire, UK
Niruj Agrawal
Affiliation:
Department of Neuropsychiatry, St George's Hospital, London, UK
Anne Worrall-Davies
Affiliation:
Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Little Woodhouse Hall, Leeds, UK
Ivana Markova
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Hull, Hull, UK
Hugh Rickards
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, Queen Elizabeth Psychiatric Hospital, Birmingham, UK
*
Dr Seshagiri Rao Nimmagadda, Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Thornford Park Hospital, Priory Group, Thatcham, Berkshire, RG14 7AA, UK. Tel: +44 7799144037; Fax: +44 1635874580; E-mail: [email protected]
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Extract

Nimmagadda SR, Agrawal N, Worrall-Davies A, Markova I, Rickards H. Determinants of irritability in Huntington's disease.

Objectives: Irritability is a common and disabling problem associated with Huntington's disease (HD). However, the underlying causes of such irritability remain unclear. This study investigates the association of irritability in HD with possible aetiological factors including dysexecutive syndrome, depression, anxiety (state and trait) and movement disorder.

Methods: Thirty patients with genetically confirmed HD and their carers were recruited from a regional HD neuropsychiatry service. Patients completed two self-reported questionnaires (Irritability, Anxiety and Depression Scale and State Trait Anxiety Inventory). Their carers filled in the Burns Irritability Scale. Patients were also administered the Behavioural Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome (BADS), Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and the Motor component of the Unified Huntington's Disease Rating Scale (UHDRS).

Results: Both self-rated and carer-rated irritability scales showed significant positive correlation with trait anxiety. The self-rated irritability scales also showed significant positive correlation with state anxiety and depression. No association was observed between irritability and dysexecutive syndrome or motor impairment.

Conclusions: Trait anxiety might serve as a predictor for irritability in HD. Irritability is unrelated to motor or cognitive features of HD indicating that it is an independent neuropsychiatric manifestation of HD.

Keywords

Huntingston's diseaseirritabilityneurocognitionneuropsychiatrypsychiatric disorders
Type
Research Article
Information
Acta Neuropsychiatrica , Volume 23 , Issue 6 , December 2011 , pp. 309 - 314
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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