A 38-year-old woman visits the physician because of uncontrolled movements of the arms, legs, head, face, and upper body. These symptoms have increased progressively over the past 12 months. She is also depressed and irritable, and she repeats the same question six times during the 30-minute office visit. Gene analyses show expansion of a CAG triplet repeat on chromosome 4. Use this information to answer the next two questions.
-Which of the following is most likely to be decreased in this woman?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons in the caudate nucleus and putamen are most likely to be decreased in this woman. The symptoms described, along with the genetic finding of a CAG triplet repeat expansion on chromosome 4, are indicative of Huntington's disease. Huntington's disease is characterized by the degeneration of GABAergic neurons, particularly in the caudate nucleus and putamen, leading to the movement disorders and psychiatric symptoms observed in this patient.

A 38-Year-Old Woman Visits the Physician Because of Uncontrolled Movements