Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease - Causes, Symptoms and Treatment

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Definitions

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rapidly progressive viral disease that attacks the central nervous system, causing dementia accompanied by neurologic symptoms such as myoclonic jerking, ataxia, aphasia, visual disturbances, and paralysis. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is a rare but fatal brain disease with unusually long incubation periods.

It is a dementing disease of the brain . It is believed due to an unconventional, transmissible agent called a prion. Creutzfeldt-Jakob is usually strikes people over 65. It is also known as creutzfeldt-jakob syndrome, jakob-creutzfeldt disease, and spastic pseuodoparalysis.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Causes

Creutzfeldt-Jakob causes are currently unknown. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is a rare one-in-a-million disease that occurs spontaneously, with 10-15% inheritance. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is a rare brain disease in humans and it is caused by abnormal brain proteins. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is one of a group of rare diseases that affects humans and animals and it is known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease usually leads to dementia. The causative organism is difficult to identify because no foreign RNA or DNA has been linked to the disease.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Symptoms

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease does not cause any symptoms at first. The disease is divided in three stages. The progression from stage 1 to stage 2 may only be several weeks. Usually the progression from stage 2 to stage 3 is from 6 to 18 months.

The symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease may incude:

• Dementia
• slow thinking
• Memory failure
• impaired judgment
• Muscular coordination problems
• Impaired judgment
• difficulty concentrating
• personality changes
• behavioral changes,

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Treatments

A neurologist or a psychiatrist is normally the primary consultant for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Physical therapist may also be required.

Treatments are available to alleviate some symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, such as morphine for muscle pain.

Antenatal screening may be possible in those with the rarer inherited type of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

Treatments for Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease include:

• Opiate drugs - for pain relief.
• Clonazepam - for myoclonus.
• Sodium valproate - for myoclonus.