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Huntington's disease and eyeblink classical conditioning: normal learning but abnormal timing
Woodruff-Pak DS, Papka M.. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS, 1996-07-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
On the basis of what is known about the neural circuitry essential or normally involved in eyeblink classical conditioning (EBCC), the pattern of neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD) would not appear to interfere with this type of learning. HD causes severe atrophy of the basal ganglia and thinning and shrinkage of the cerebral cortex. However, the hippocampus and hippocampal cholinergic system remain relatively intact, as does the cerebellum. Because the brain circuitry engaged in EBCC is neither lesioned nor disrupted in HD, it was predicted that HD patients would perform like normal control subjects in the 400-ms delay EBCC paradigm. Performance of seven patients with HD was compared to age-matched normals, with two control subjects matched to each HD patient. There were no differences in production of conditioned responses (CRs) between HD patients and normal control subjects, but the timing of the CR was abnormal in HD. Comparisons of HD patients to patients with other neurodegenerative diseases (probable Alzheimer's disease (pAD) and Down syndrome (DS) over the age of 35 with presumed Alzheimer-like neuropathology) and to patients with cerebellar lesions demonstrated significantly better EBCC performance in HD. Results suggest that the ability to acquire CRs is normal in HD, but the striatum may have some role in optimizing the timing of the CR.
Key findings
- Performance of seven patients with HD was compared to age-matched normals, with two control subjects matched to each HD patient.
- Comparisons of HD patients to patients with other neurodegenerative diseases (probable Alzheimer's disease (pAD) and Down syndrome (DS) over the age of 35 with presumed Alzheimer-like neuropathology) and to patients with cerebellar lesions demonstrated significantly better EBCC performance in HD.
- Results suggest that the ability to acquire CRs is normal in HD, but the striatum may have some role in optimizing the timing of the CR.
Why it matters
In seven patients with Huntington's disease, the ability to acquire conditioned eyeblink responses was normal but the timing of the response was abnormal, and performance was significantly better than in patients with probable Alzheimer's disease or Down syndrome over age 35. This study is about Huntington's disease and does not test or propose any treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 32/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society: journal h-index 176 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 1996 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 4 / 7 | Cited 59 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.8 citations a year over 32 year(s) since 1996 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 1.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Michelle Papka: h-index 17 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Temple University: institution h-index 742 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 9375181) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 32 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Woodruff-Pak, D. S., & Papka, M. (1996). Huntington's disease and eyeblink classical conditioning: normal learning but abnormal timing. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS. https://doi.org/10.1017/s135561770000134x
Vancouver
Woodruff-Pak DS, Papka M. Huntington's disease and eyeblink classical conditioning: normal learning but abnormal timing. Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS. 1996. doi:10.1017/s135561770000134x. PMID: 9375181.
BibTeX
@article{woodruffpak1996-9375181,
author = {Woodruff-Pak, D. S. and Papka, M.},
title = {{Huntington's disease and eyeblink classical conditioning: normal learning but abnormal timing}},
journal = {Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS},
year = {1996},
doi = {10.1017/s135561770000134x},
pmid = {9375181},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1017/s135561770000134x}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.