Social connections, family life, and Huntington’s disease progression in parents and their kids
Official title: Social Connectedness and Communication in Parents with Huntington''s Disease and their Offspring: Associations with Psychological and Disease Progression
Funded at Vanderbilt University · NIH-11294175 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study explores how social relationships and communication between people with Huntington’s disease and their children affect well-being and disease progression.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | March 5, 2022 |
| Project end | February 28, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $678,467 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD104188-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11294175 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Families affected by Huntington’s disease, including parents with HD and their children or offspring who may be at risk.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without HD or without an HD-affected family connection may not directly benefit from this study.
What this research studies
This project looks at the way family interactions and social support influence the health and daily functioning of people with Huntington’s disease and their offspring. It will examine conversations, loneliness, and conflict within families and how these relate to changes in thinking, mood, and motor symptoms over time. By following families over several years, researchers hope to identify patterns that could guide better support and care for HD families. The goal is to translate findings into practical tools for improving family communication and health outcomes.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to better family-focused interventions that support HD patients and their children, potentially slowing progression of some symptoms and improving quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked social connectedness to health outcomes, but this project focuses specifically on HD families and longitudinal changes.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Compas, Bruce E — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Compas, Bruce E
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.