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About Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal brain disorder that causes rapid, progressive dementia and other neuromuscular disturbances.
CJD is caused by a transmissible agent.
Research suggests that the agent differs significantly from viruses and other conventional agents.
This newly discovered pathogen is called a "prion," short for "proteinaceous infectious particle," because it consists of protein and transforms normal protein molecules into infectious ones.
The disease can be inherited, but the majority of cases are not.
Early symptoms of CJD include failing memory, changes in behavior, and lack of coordination.
As the disease advances, usually very rapidly, mental deterioration becomes pronounced, involuntary movements (especially muscle jerks) appear, and the patient experiences severe difficulty with sight, muscular energy, and coordination.
Like Alzheimer's disease, a definitive diagnosis of CJD may be obtained only through examination of brain tissue at autopsy.
Vision statement
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