Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) Home A-Z Health Information Health Library A-Z Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Overview CJD is a life-threatening and rare neurodegenerative brain disorder. It can be sporadic, familial (inherited), iatrogenic (acquired) or variant (infection). The symptoms progress rapidly causing deterioration in sensorium and encephalopathy, usually terminating fatally within 6–12 months. Causes It is caused due to misfolding of prion protein Symptoms Rapidly progressive dementiaBehaviour changesHallucinationsJerky movements/ myoclonusBalance and coordination dysfunctionSpeech impairment Risk factors Age. Sporadic CJD occurs around 60 years of age. Familial CJD is presented slightly earlier, whereas Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) affects individuals usually in their late 20s.Genetic changes that cause the diseaseExposure to contaminated tissueEating contaminated beef Specialist to approach Neurologist Diagnosis EEG to determine bilateral periodic epileptiform discharges typically repeating at 1–1.5 secondsCSF examination for biomarkers like 14-3-3, RT-QuIC for sporadic CJDMRI to determine cortical ribboning and inverse hockey stick signBrain biopsy Treatment No specific treatmentSymptomatic control of seizures and myoclonusSupportive care for pain reliefPalliative care