Huntington's Disease

As Harper points out in the preface to the second edition of his book, the isolation of the Huntington disease (HD) gene just 2 years after the publication of the first edition "made it immediately clear that a major revision would be required." This second edition of Harper's text (the 31st volume in WB Saunders Co's series, "Major Problems in Neurology") builds on the strengths of the earlier edition and incorporates an explosion of information on the molecular genetics of HD subsequent to the identification of the gene in 1993.

The volume is organized into 12 chapters. The introductory chapter provides an excellent historical background, outlining the pioneering contributions of George Huntington and William Osler, and detailing the gradual evolution of clinical, neuropathological, and genetic understanding of the disease. The chapter also addresses the development of HD lay organizations, acknowledging their critical role in the support of research and patient