Maintained improvement with minocycline of a patient with advanced Huntington's disease

We present the case of a patient with advanced Huntington's disease treated with minocycline. Minocycline (but not tetracycline which does not cross the blood-brain barrier) appears to increase longevity in an animal model for Huntington's disease. The patient has been maintained on minocycline for more than 1 year with positive effects. Cessation of minocyclin for 3 weeks resulted in an exacerbation of symptoms. The animal studies have suggested that minocycline may prevent progression of Huntington's disease and other neurological disorders. By contrast, this present result suggests that minocycline may benefit those with advanced Huntington's disease and can be used safely in these patients.