Journal article
Developmental Trajectory of Height, Weight, and BMI in Children and Adolescents at Risk for Huntington’s Disease: Effect of mHTT on Growth
Journal of Huntington's disease, Vol.9(3), pp.245-251
09/04/2020
DOI: 10.3233/JHD-200407
PMID: 32894247
Abstract
Background: The gene (Huntingtin or HTT) causing Huntington’s disease (HD) is vital for development and is expressed throughout the brain and body lifelong. The mutant form (mHTT) may influence growth and development. Objective: To determine the impact of mHTT on human measures of growth, including height, weight and body mass index (BMI), between child and adolescent carriers of mHTT and control peers. Methods: Children ages 6–18 years of age (n = 186) at risk for HD were enrolled in the KidsHD study. For research purposes only, genetic testing was performed to classify participants as Gene-Expanded (GE = 78) or as Gene Non-Expanded (GNE = 108). Outcome measures included height, weight, and body mass index (BMI). Mixed models were used to determine if non-linear age trends differed between groups for BMI, height and weight. Results: Differences were seen in the trajectory of BMI in which the GE group reached a plateau in late adolescence with no further increase, compared with a nearly linear increase in the GNE group. There was a significant sex interaction pattern where GE males were taller than GNE males in adolescence, in the presence of similar weight. In contrast, GE females weighed significantly less than their GNE counterparts in adolescence, in the presence of similar height. Conclusion: Measures of growth are abnormal in child and adolescent carriers of mHTT, decades before HD onset. Although further studies are needed for replication, the current findings suggest that developmental aberrations may be systemic and a vital part of disease pathology.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Developmental Trajectory of Height, Weight, and BMI in Children and Adolescents at Risk for Huntington’s Disease: Effect of mHTT on Growth
- Creators
- Alexander Tereshchenko - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USAEllen van der Plas - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USAKathy Mathews - Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA, Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USAEric Epping - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USAAmy Conrad - Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USADoug Langbehn - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA, University of Iowa College of Public Health Administration, Iowa City, IA, USAPeg Nopoulos - Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA, Department of Pediatrics, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA, Department of Neurology, University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of Huntington's disease, Vol.9(3), pp.245-251
- DOI
- 10.3233/JHD-200407
- PMID
- 32894247
- NLM abbreviation
- J Huntingtons Dis
- ISSN
- 1879-6397
- eISSN
- 1879-6400
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 09/04/2020
- Academic Unit
- Neurology; Psychiatry; Pediatric Psychology; Stead Family Department of Pediatrics; Iowa Neuroscience Institute; Craniofacial Anomalies Research Center; Neurology (Pediatrics)
- Record Identifier
- 9984070205502771
Metrics
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