Early Huntington's diagnosis studied

Melbourne -- Australian scientists using new magnetic resonance imaging say they are developing technology to allow early Huntington's disease diagnosis.

Specifically, the scientists from the Howard Florey Institute and Monash University in Melbourne say their technology uses diffusion magnetic resonance imaging to enable examination of the brain at a microstructural level, as well as mapping white matter by tracking the movement of water in the brain.

That, said the researchers, will allow clinicians to confirm Huntington's disease before symptoms appear in people who have the gene for the fatal brain disease. It could also open new methods of drug research and development

An early confirmation of Huntington's disease could also enable treatment to commence early, even before motor, cognitive and psychiatric symptoms arise, the scientists said.

The research that included doctoral student India Bohanna and Associate Professors Nellie Georgiou-Karistianis and Anthony Hannan was presented this week in Melbourne during the 14th annual meeting of the Organization for Human Brain Mapping.

The study has also been accepted for publication in the journal Brain Research Reviews.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.