This post is on the rarer forms of dementia, which make up the minority of dementia diagnoses. These also include reversible and treatable dementias, such as those resulting from infectious diseases or nutrition deficiencies. As Alzheimer’s disease is the most commonly diagnosed form of dementia, it receives the majority of focus in awareness raising, research, and funding for treatment and prevention. This can leave those with the rarer forms of dementia without much information on their dementia type or options for treatment, fewer disease-specific support options, and feeling frustrated and isolated. My hope is that this post will be informative and raise your awareness on other types of dementia that individuals and families face. Continue reading
Tag Archives: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
What is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)?
This information comes from Alzheimer’s Society, a wonderful organization based out of the UK. They are one of my go-to sources for information and I highly recommend taking a look around their website. They offer the information on their website to be freely used by others, so I am posting the information in full. You can access the same article on their website as well as resources on dementia by clicking on the title, below.
What is Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease?
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is one of the rarer forms of dementia. Rarer forms account for only around 5 per cent of all dementia cases in the UK.
CJD is caused by an abnormally shaped protein called a prion infecting the brain. Sporadic CJD, which normally affects people over 40, is the most common form of the disease. It is estimated that the disease affects about one out of every 1 million people each year. It is not known what triggers sporadic CJD, but it is not known to be inherited or otherwise transmitted from person to person. Continue reading
