Creutzfeldt – Jakob disease
This is a degenerative perpetually disorder of the brain that appears in the late stages of life. On average the initial symptoms of the disorder are experienced about 60 years and approximately 90 percent of the patients die within a period of one year. The disease belongs to a family of human and animal diseases that are referred to transmissible spongiform encephalopathy. During the primary stages, individuals may experience falling memories, behavioral alterations poor coordination and visual problems. During progression f the illness patients experience mental deterioration, involuntary movements, impaired vision, extreme weakness which may end up in comma and death. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is mainly categorized into three, and these include sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, hereditary Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and acquired Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Looking at the symptoms of the disease, it is characterized by rapidly progressive dementia. Problems of muscular coordination occurs which is accompanied by alteration in personality, impairment in judgment, thinking, and vision. Some patients experience insomnia, depression and unusual sensations. However, some symptoms of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease resemble those of other progressive neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer’s or Huntington’s disease. Nevertheless, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease causes exceptional changes in brain tissue which can be identified at autopsy. It also tends to cause more hasty deterioration of a person’s abilities than Alzheimer’s disease or most other forms of dementia.
When undertaking diagnostic measures the primary concern is to rule out any treatable forms of dementia such which may be encephalitis that is inflammation of the brain or chronic meningitis. Consequently neurological examination is necessary and this encompass diagnostic tests such as spinal tap which help in identifying any common causes dementia and electroencephalogram that helps in recording that electrical pattern of the brain. Other diagnostic procedures include magnetic resonance imaging brain biopsy and autopsy.
There are various reseaehers who believe that Creutzfeldt – Jakob disease is caused by a special form of slow virus or any other variety of organisms. However, this has not yet being proved. Conversely, the currently existing theory that explains the cause of the disease is that the condition is cased by a certain kind of protein known as the Prion. Normally these abnormal prion proteins aggregate and lead to neuron loss or any other forms of brain damage. Conversely, some of the Creutzfeldt – Jakob disease cases have been attributed to have resulted from inheritance and mutations in the formation of the normal prion protein.
Researchers have identified that the diseases can be transmitted. For instance the abnormal protein can be transmitted by contaminated and harvested human brain products, immunoglobulin electrode products and many others. The condition has been known to come from utilization of human growth hormone which is obtained from the pituitary gland of the individual who died from the disease.
Currently there is no known cure of the disease; however interleukins and medication help in slowing the progression and reducing the effects of the disease. Consequently medications are vital in curbing some symptoms such as aggressive behaviors. It is very important for providing safe environment to patients, controlling aggressive behaviors monitoring and helping both in home and care facility. It is also important for patients to seek regular medical attentions. Conversely, they should be helped in monitoring any from of unacceptable and dangerous behaviors. There are various complications associated with the disease and they include infection, loss of interaction with other individuals, loss of function and individual care and finally death.
Reference
Gencer, A, G. Et al (2011). Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. The official Journal of Japanese Psychogeratric Society. Volume 11 issue 2 page 119-124
Sikorska,B. Et al (2012). Neurodegenerative Diseases: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease Journal of Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology:. Volume 724 issue 6 page 79-90.
