Beta-blocker drugs may slow Huntington's disease progression

[Sly Saint]

A common heart drug may slow the progression of Huntington's disease (HD), according to a new study by University of Iowa Health Care researchers.

Using clinical information from a large, observational database of over 21,000 people with HD, the UI team found that the use of beta-blocker drugs – commonly used to treat heart and blood pressure issues – was associated with both a significantly later onset of HD symptoms for people in the pre-symptomatic stages, and a slower rate of symptom worsening for those with symptoms. The findings were published Dec. 2 in JAMA Neurology.

Dampening 'fight or flight' might help treat HD
Beta-blockers work by blocking the action of norepinephrine, a neurotransmitter and hormone involved in the "fight or flight" response. Schultz and his colleagues homed in on these medications because their previous research had shown that compared to healthy individuals, patients with HD seem to have a stronger "fight or flight" reflex, even when they are resting.

"Patients with HD have a slightly more active sympathetic nervous system, which is what drives the fight or flight response, and theoretically have more norepinephrine," Schultz explains. "We have hypothesized that this subtle change may be contributing to the neurodegeneration that occurs in HD, and because beta-blockers inhibit the action of norepinephrine, we wanted to know if they might have a therapeutic role in patients with HD."

Beta-blocker drugs may slow Huntington's disease progression