Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease without dementia: a case report

Abstract

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare condition caused by prions. Although the infectious form of the disease is the most well-known, the most common form is the so-called sporadic type, where the transformation of cytoplasmic proteins from glial cells into prions occurs. The disease is characterized by rapidly progressive dementia whose diagnosis can be made with great accuracy based on clinical signs, typical changes on magnetic resonance imaging and real-time quaking-induced conversion (Rt-QuIC) testing in cerebrospinal fluid. We report a case of the disease without cognitive disorders in the initial phase, but with other common clinical signs including behavioral abnormalities, ataxia, extrapyramidal features, and myoclonus; typical changes on magnetic resonance imaging of the skull (signal alterations affecting parietal and temporal lobes areas) and strongly positive Rt-QuIC test. This case report can serve to alert other health professionals on recognizing the disease and contribute to a more accurate diagnosis in similar cases.