Autonomic nervous function in Huntington's disease
J. C. Den Heijer, W. L. Bollen, J. P. Reulen, J. G. van Dijk, C. G. Kramer, R. A. Roos and O. J. Buruma
Department of Neurology, University Hospital Leiden, The Netherlands.
Autonomic nervous system function was studied by means of a series of
standardized tests in 11 patients with Huntington's disease (HD) and in 11
age- and sex-matched controls. Two statistically significant differences
were found. The blood pressure response to sustained handgrip was
diminished and the pupillary light reflex latency was increased in the HD
group. The former probably reflects diminished input from higher centers on
an otherwise intact sympathetic nervous system. The latter may indicate
involvement of the pretectal or Edinger-Westphal nuclei in HD. No further
signs of autonomic nervous system dysfunction were found.
