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Prions are proteins that naturally occur in human and animal brains, and they are typically harmless. However, prions can become harmful once the various sequences that make up the prion reverse.

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CJD occurs once the prions become harmful to the brain in humans. It is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy that destroys the brain over time.

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CJD happens when a prion protein causes abnormalities in other proteins. The development and buildup of prions on the brain cells leads to brain damage and death. It could be sporadic, inherited, or acquired.

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Normal vs. Abnormal MRI showing effects of CJD

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Normal vs. Abnormal MRI showing effects of CJD

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Preventive measures include sterilization of all medical equipment to kill any organisms that may cause the disease, and not accepting cornea donations from people with a history of diagnosed or possibly affected by CJD. Wearing gloves when handling blood, fluid, or tissue is also advised. Once someone is diagnosed with CJD, the disease can spread through contact with bodily fluids.

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CJD has a long incubation period, and it can take anywhere from 8 years up to 40 years for symptoms to appear. The patient's condition rapidly decreases within weeks, and death typically occurs within less than a year after symptoms appear. Initial signs and symptoms typically include:

Personality changes

Anxiety

Depression

Memory loss

Impaired thinking

Blurred vision or blindness

Insomnia

Difficulty speaking

Difficulty swallowing

Sudden, jerky movements

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The shrinkage of the brain is highly visible in the brain on the right vs. the brain on the left. CJD practically turns the brain into sponge.

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Doctors have profusely worked to gather more information on Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease. Due to the prolonged incubation period, it is much harder to study the disease and its effects. Once symptoms begin, the patient has a short time period before death occurs.

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CJD is a terminal disease. Once a patient has been diagnosed with CJD, they are usually placed in hospice care who can aid the patient in dying comfortably.