The clinical manifestation of mental disorder in Huntington's disease: a retrospective case record study of disease progression.

All cases (86) of Huntington's Disease presenting between 1970 and 1987 in the Grampian Health Board region were identified and a case note analysis of neurological and psychiatric syndromes carried out--the latter using the PSE syndrome check-list. The commonest syndromes were organic impairment, irritability, loss of interest and concentration and simple depression and these were often the presenting psychiatric syndromes. General anxiety, worrying and social unease occurred early, commonly before movement disorder and were associated with longer survival.