Central Cognitive Processing Speed Is an Early Marker of Huntington's Disease Onset.

Background: Several studies have suggested that cognitive processing speed may be useful for assessing early cognitive change in premanifest Huntington's disease (HD); however, current measures lack the ability to control for the effects of motor dysfunction commonly found in HD. The Computerized Test of Information Processing (CTiP) is a rapidly administered computerized tool that allows for the examination of central cognitive processing speed by using motor-corrected scores to account for motor dysfunction.

Objective: To examine central cognitive processing speed as an early marker of HD onset using the CTiP.

Identification of Subtle Verbal Memory Deficits in Premanifest Huntington Disease Using the California Verbal Learning Test.

Background: Verbal memory impairment in individuals with Huntington disease (HD) is well-documented; however, the nature and extent of verbal memory impairment in individuals with premanifest HD (pre-HD) are less understood.

Objective: To evaluate verbal memory function in individuals with pre-HD by comparing their performance on the California Verbal Learning Test to that of individuals with a clinical diagnosis of HD and that of a demographically similar group of adults with no family history of, or genetic risk for, HD, thereby reducing possible complications of psychiatric difficulties commonly experienced by individuals who are at risk for HD but are gene negative.

Methods: Participant groups included 77 adults with a diagnosis of HD, 23 premanifest gene carriers for HD (pre-HD), and 54 demographically similar, healthy adults.