Psychological aspects of genetic counselling: a review of the experience with Huntington's disease.
Presymptomatic DNA-testing for adult-onset diseases has serious psychological consequences. Here the psychological consequences of presymptomatic DNA-testing for Huntington's disease are reviewed. Both carriers and non-carriers experience emotional reactions after disclosure of their test result. However, up to today no long-term adverse emotional consequences have been revealed. Future research on other adult-onset genetic diseases should provide information about the reactions of children. In genetic counselling, attention should be paid to the reactions of people with a decreased risk. Genetic counselling must focus on the whole family and not on the individual applicant.
van 't Spijker
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Department of Medical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
ten Kroode
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HF
D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D006580:Genetic Carrier Screening; D005817:Genetic Counseling / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*