Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), also known as spongiform transmissible encephalopathis or infectious amyloidoses, is a dementing disease that results from a prion. Specifically, it describes the definition, occurrence, onset, symptoms and fatal outcome of the disease.This paper asserts that by studying the disease as it manifests in various cases, doctors can become familiar with earlier symptoms and diagnosis, and prepare families in advance. With such preparation, families can obtain closure in advance of the inevitable outcome and reach the closure stage sooner.

From the Paper:

"The case study shows that the onset of more commonly psychiatric systems associated with mental illness precludes the early diagnosis of the disease. Instead, warning factors such as neurological symptoms should also be viewed as a warning sign of the disease. This can be particularly helpful in diagnosing familial cases. A known family history of the disease can be helpful in early diagnosis and also in making decisions regarding the care of the patient.
"According to the Memory and Aging Center (2008), many tools are available today that can be helpful in diagnosing the disease more accurately. The MRI for example can accurately detect the abnormalities displayed by the disease and rule out other possibilities such as mental illness. Because of the existing behavioral and movement manifestations of the disease, this tool often requires sedation or general anesthesia in severe cases, as patients are required to be still during the examination process. FLAIR and DWI images are also useful in showing abnormalities that are caused by the disease."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Gass, Carlton S., Luis, Cheryl A., Meyers, Tracey L., & Kuljis, Rodrigo O. (2000, Jan 24). Familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease: A Neuropsychological Case Study. Science Direct. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VDJ-3YDGFSX-7&_user=736898&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000040978&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=736898&md5=6c9f1b5b93b8e6c540ac911c8f9dbfac
• MedicineNet.com. (2008). Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease. http://www.medicinenet.com/creutzfeldt-jakob_disease/article.htm
• Memory and Aging Center (2008). Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). University of California, San Francisco. Creutzfeldt-Jacob Disease http://memory.ucsf.edu/Education/Disease/cjd.html
• Moellentine, Chris K. & Rummans, Teresa A. (1999, May-June). The Varied Neuropsychiatric Presentations of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Psychosomatics 40:3. http://psy.psychiatryonline.org/cgi/reprint/40/3/260.pdf
• Washington, Harriet. (1991-2008). The Infection Connection. Psychology Today. http://psychologytoday.com/articles/pto-19990701-000031.html

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