Albany, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 01/15/2016 -- Huntingtons disease (HD) is a rare, inherited, genetic disorder that causes progressive degeneration of the nerve cells of the brain especially the caudate, the putamen, and the cerebral cortex. As the brain cells die, a person with HD is unable to control movements, recall events, make decisions, and control emotions, and the disorder leads to incapacitation, cognitive and psychiatric disorders, and eventually death. The signs and symptoms of HD mostly appear between the ages 30-40 years, although the onset of disease may occur earlier or later in life. Therefore the disease is mostly of adult onset. The average lifespan of a person after being diagnosed with adult-onset HD is about 15-20 years. When the onset of the disease begins earlier than the age 20 years, the condition is called juvenile HD. Juvenile HD presents somewhat different symptoms and has a faster disease progression.