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Background/Objectives: Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder associated with significant disability and impairment of Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). The impact of upper limb disability on quality of life (QoL) and its influence on ADLs is not well known yet. The aim of this study was to describe the manipulative dexterity, strength, and manual eye coordination of patients with manifest and premanifest-HD compared to healthy individuals and to analyze its influence on ADLs and QoL. Methods: We performed an observational, cross-sectional study including 71 ambulatory participants (27 manifest-HD patients, 15 premanifest-HD, and 29 controls). We gathered sociodemographic data, as well as clinical data, including cognition (MMSE), HD motor severity (Unified HD rating scale, UHDRS-TMS), QoL (Neuro-QoL), and ADLs (HD-ADL). Hand dexterity and strength in the dominant and non-dominant hand were assessed with the Nine Hole Peg Test, Ten Neurotest, Nut and Bolt Test, dynamometry, and Late-Life FDI. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) models were performed to investigate differences in hand function between manifest-HD, premanifest-HD, and controls. Results: Manifest-HD patients had significantly worse performance in manual and finger dexterity, fine-motor coordination, and poorer handgrip strength than premanifest-HD and controls. Premanifest-HD required more time to complete the test than controls. Significant correlations were found between hand variables and Late-Life FDI, Neuro-QoL, HD-ADL, and UHDRS-TMS. Conclusions: HD affects manipulative dexterity and hand function in premanifest and manifest patients. Therefore, to prevent disability and decreased QoL, evaluating the progression of upper limb dysfunction in HD is important to offer the best possible therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) seems to be involved in the neural circuits associated with social cognition and brain structure. Objectives: To investigate the association of IGF‐1 levels with social cognition and brain structure in Huntington's disease (HD). Methods: We evaluated social cognition using the Ekman test in 22 HD patients and 19 matched controls. Brain structure was assessed using standard volume‐based voxel‐based morphometry and surface‐based cortical thickness pipeline. We analyzed the association of IGF‐1 levels with social cognition and brain structure using adjusted regression analysis. Results: Social cognition was worse in HD patients (P < 0.001), on antidopaminergic drugs (P = 0.02), and with lower IGF‐1 levels (P = 0.04). In neuroimaging analyses, lower IGF‐1 levels were associated with social cognition impairment and atrophy mainly in frontotemporal regions (P < 0.05 corrected). Conclusions: In HD, abnormal IGF‐1 function seems to be associated with brain atrophy leading to clinical deficits in social cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]