Hope for those with Huntington's – podcast

Robin McKie, the Observer ’s science and environment editor, discusses an innovative drug that may soon offer ways to fight Huntington’s disease, while Mark Newnham describes being diagnosed with the inherited condition. Plus: Peter Beaumont describes his trip to the Costa Rican cloud forest, at threat from climate chang eForMark Newnham and thousands of others who havebeen told they have inherited Huntington ’s disease, the future would appear bleak, a prospect of inexorable physical and mental decline. But scientists believe they areclosing in on a treatment to control its worst effects.Anushka Asthana talks toRobin McKie, the Observer ’s science and environment editor, who tells her about the testing of a new drug, RG6042, that appears to reduce levels of a toxic protein that builds up in brain cells and is believed to trigger the disease. She also talks to Newnham, 32, who has tested positive for the gene.Continue reading...

Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - April 22, 2019 Category: Science Authors: Presented by Anushka Asthana with Robin McKie, Mark Newnham and Peter Beaumont, produced by Amy Walker, Brenna Daldorph, Ammar Kalia, Elizabeth Cassin and Eloise Stevens; executive producers Phil Maynard and Nicole Jackson Tags: Huntington's disease Science Climate change Costa Rica Medical research Source Type: news