A rare transmittable degenerative disorder of the brain caused by prions. Morphologically it is characterized by spongiform degeneration of the cerebral and cerebellar cortex. Signs and symptoms include sleep disturbances, personality changes, aphasia, ataxia, muscle atrophy and weakness, visual loss, and myoclonus. It usually leads to death within a year from the onset of the disease.

A rare, untreatable, rapid form of dementia that is fatal.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, degenerative brain disorder. Symptoms usually start around age 60. Memory problems, behavior changes, vision problems, and poor muscle coordination progress quickly to dementia, coma, and death. Most patients die within a year. The three main categories of CJD are Sporadic CJD, which occurs for no known reason; Hereditary CJD, which runs in families; Acquired CJD, which occurs from contact with infected tissue, usually during a medical procedure. Cattle can get a disease related to CJD called bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) or "mad cow disease." There is concern that people can get a variant of CJD from eating beef from an infected animal, but there is no direct proof to support this. NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Prion disease represents a group of conditions that affect the nervous system in humans and animals. In people, these conditions impair brain function, causing changes in memory, personality, and behavior; a decline in intellectual function (dementia); and abnormal movements, particularly difficulty with coordinating movements (ataxia). The signs and symptoms of prion disease typically begin in adulthood and worsen with time, leading to death within a few months to several years.

(creutzfeldt-jakob syndrome) A rare transmissible encephalopathy most prevalent between the ages of 50 and 70 years. Affected individuals may present with sleep disturbances, personality changes, ATAXIA; APHASIA, visual loss, weakness, muscle atrophy, MYOCLONUS, progressive dementia, and death within one year of disease onset. A familial form exhibiting autosomal dominant inheritance and a new variant CJD (potentially associated with ENCEPHALOPATHY, BOVINE SPONGIFORM) have been described. Pathological features include prominent cerebellar and cerebral cortical spongiform degeneration and the presence of PRIONS. (From N Engl J Med, 1998 Dec 31;339(27))

(classic creutzfeldt-jakob disease) A prion disease of humans that is characterized by spongiform degeneration of the cerebral and cerebellar cortex. Three recognized forms are sporadic, familial, and iatrogenic. The iatrogenic form occurs through direct contact with human tissue, a product derived from human tissue, or contaminated medical equipment.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is the most common human prion disease. It occurs worldwide and has several forms and subtypes. CJD symptoms include dementia, myoclonus, and other central nervous system deficits; death usually occurs between 4 months and 2 years after onset, depending on the CJD form and subtype. Treatment is supportive.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob (KROITS-felt YAH-kobe) disease is a degenerative brain disorder that leads to dementia and, ultimately, death. Symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) can resemble those of other dementia-like brain disorders, such as Alzheimer's. But Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease usually progresses much more rapidly.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare fatal brain disorder that usually occurs later in life and runs a rapid course. In the early stages of the disease, patients may have failing memory, behavior changes, impaired coordination, and vision problems. As CJD progresses, mental deterioration becomes severe, and they can have...

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), rare fatal degenerative disease of the central nervous system. CJD occurs throughout the world at an incidence of one in every one million people. Among certain populations, such as Libyan Jews, rates are somewhat higher. The disease was first described in the 1920s...