# Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease: Spectrum of Symptoms, Clinical Progress and Diagnostics—Report of Five Cases

**Authors:** Klaudia Rojewska, Natalia Dynowska, Iwona Rotter, Małgorzata Niekrasz

PMC · DOI: 10.3390/neurosci7020035 · 2026-03-10

## TL;DR

This paper discusses the symptoms, progression, and diagnosis of Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease, a rare and fatal brain disorder, through five case reports.

## Contribution

The paper provides a clinical overview and highlights diagnostic challenges and warning signs for Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.

## Key findings

- The paper presents five cases to illustrate the spectrum of symptoms and clinical progression of CJD.
- It identifies common diagnostic traps and warning signs for clinicians to consider.
- The study emphasizes the importance of thorough evaluation when CJD symptoms are suspected.

## Abstract

Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal prion disease of the central nervous system that develops due to the conversion of the normal cellular protein PrPc to the abnormal PrPSc molecule. The first clinical cases were described in the 1920s. The aim of this paper is to present the clinical progress of the disease and the diagnostic process, including some of the most common diagnostic traps. The paper highlights a range of symptoms that should serve as a potential warning signal for clinicians—not just neurologists—indicating the need to evaluate the patient more thoroughly.

## Linked entities

- **Proteins:** PRNP (prion protein (Kanno blood group)), Prnp (prion protein)
- **Diseases:** Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (MONDO:0005357), CJD (MONDO:0005357)

## Full-text entities

- **Genes:** PRNP (prion protein (Kanno blood group)) [NCBI Gene 5621] {aka ASCR, AltPrP, CD230, CJD, GSS, KURU}, PRNP (prion protein) [NCBI Gene 281427] {aka AltPrP, PrP, prn}, YWHAQ (tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein theta) [NCBI Gene 10971] {aka 14-3-3, 1C5, HS1}
- **Diseases:** stroke (MESH:D020521), balance disorder (MESH:D009358), extrapyramidal symptoms (MESH:D001480), paraneoplastic syndrome (MESH:D010257), sensory aphasia (MESH:D001041), Ataxia (MESH:D001259), aneurysms (MESH:D000783), delusions (MESH:D063726), schizophrenia (MESH:D012559), visual hallucinations (MESH:D006212), injury to (MESH:D014947), ischemic stroke (MESH:D002544), prion disease (MESH:D017096), dementia (MESH:D003704), infection (MESH:D007239), Involuntary chorea (MESH:D002819), encephalitis (MESH:D004660), Autoimmune spectrum disorders (MESH:D001327), gastrointestinal bleeding (MESH:D006471), confusion (MESH:D003221), insomnia (MESH:D007319), aspiration pneumonia (MESH:D011015), meningitis (MESH:D008580), Speech disorder (MESH:D013064), vision impairment (MESH:D014786), hypothyroidism (MESH:D007037), mobility impairment (MESH:D014086), unsteadiness (MESH:D020233), physical abuse (MESH:D059445), Muscle hypertonia (MESH:D009122), autoimmune encephalitis (MESH:D020274), Myoclonus (MESH:D009207), type 2 diabetes (MESH:D003924), bovine spongiform encephalopathy (MESH:D016643), bipolar disorder (MESH:D001714), agraphia (MESH:D000381), psychosis (MESH:D011618), acalculia (MESH:D060705), deficits (MESH:D009461), weakness (MESH:D018908), vitamin deficiencies (MESH:D014802), Reichardt's sign (MESH:D001037), Neuroborreliosis (MESH:D020852), DLB (MESH:D020961), PSP (MESH:D011030), hypertension (MESH:D006973), adynamia (MESH:D020513), kidney infarction (MESH:D007680), spastic quadriparesis (MESH:D011782), Sporadic (MESH:D020821), decline in visual and cognitive functions (MESH:D003072), Parkinson's disease (MESH:D010300), Anxiety disorder (MESH:D001008), Psychiatric symptoms (MESH:D001523), paranoid delusions (MESH:D010259), deterioration of speech fluency (MESH:D000067454), anxiety (MESH:D001007), Cerebellar ataxia (MESH:D002524), akinetic mutism (MESH:D000405), memory impairment (MESH:D008569)
- **Chemicals:** haloperidol (MESH:D006220), alcohol (MESH:D000438), glucose (MESH:D005947)
- **Species:** Bos taurus (bovine, species) [taxon 9913], Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606]

## Figures

15 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13010748/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13010748