Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rare, incurable brain disease. The first signs are symptoms such as memory problems and stiffness. This starts gradually and becomes increasingly severe. At a later stage, sufferers show behavioural changes and experience dementia. They may become blind, and lose the ability to speak. Their movement becomes jerky and uncontrolled. Eventually, the person becomes completely dependent on help and dies of the disease.
CJD is caused by a protein that occurs naturally in the body. The disease occurs on average in one in a million people per year.
In 1996, it was discovered that the protein that causes BSE (or ‘mad cow disease’) in cattle can also be transmitted to humans. Because this disease resembles CJD, it was given the name variant CJD. The disease as it was already known has since been called classic CJD.
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