Huntington's Disease: Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie was a musician who was diagnosed with Huntington's disease which affects both cognitive and motor abilities.  Woody struggled with erratic behavior and impulse control more and more as the disease progressed.  Some of his inappropriate/dangerous behaviors included shoving sawdust into his son's mouth and writing erotic letters to many women.  His motor skills also greatly affected his beloved occupation of singing and playing the guitar. It would be important to address this occupation early because that is what he loves to do the most.  What was interesting to me was that his mother likely had Huntington's as well, but she was never diagnosed with it.  Instead, she was institutionalized because medicine had not progressed that far during that time. Now there is a test to see if you have the gene that often leads to Huntington's.