Memory and learning are not impaired in presymptomatic individuals with anincreased risk of Huntington's disease

Memory deficits are considered the most prominent characteristics of mental deterioration in the early stages of Huntington's disease (HD) but empiric al studies report contradictory results. The aim of this study was to asses s memory and learning in 9 individuals with an increased risk (greater than or equal to 96%) of HD but without clinical symptoms and signs. Seventeen individuals with a decreased risk (less than or equal to 5 %) for med a group of controls. Verbal and visual memory, various aspects of learn ing, word fluency and procedural learning were assessed. Conventional group comparisons showed no significant differences in the performances of the h igh risk and the low risk groups.