De Vera, Queenie Jerlin E.

BSN 1-C

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a fatal brain illness that is uncommon and progressive. It affects
around one person in every million people globally each year, with about 350 cases each year in the
United States. CJD generally occurs later in life and progresses quickly. The typical onset of symptoms is
at the age of 60, and around 70% of people die within a year. Individuals with This condition may have
memory loss, behavioral abnormalities, lack of coordination, and visual problems in the early stages of
the disease. Mental deterioration gets more apparent as the illness develops, and involuntary
movements, blindness, weakness of extremities, and coma may occur.

There are three major categories of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease:

• Sporadic CJD, Even though the person has recognized risk factors for the disease, the illness
shows spontaneously. This is the most common form of CJD, accounting for at least 85% of all cases.

• Hereditary CJD, The individual may have a family history of CJD and test positive for a CJD-
related genetic mutation.

• Acquired CJ, The illness is transmitted through contact with brain or nervous system tissue,
which generally occurs during medical operations. There is no indication that CJD may be spread by
casual contact with a CJD patient. Less than 1% of CJD patients have been acquired since the disease was
originally identified in 1920. Variant CJD (also known as "mad cow" disease) is a kind of CJD that may be
contracted by eating meat from animals infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is part of a group of illnesses known as transmissible spongiform

encephalopathies (TSEs) or prion diseases that affect humans and animals. A prion, which comes from
the words "protein" and "infectious," causes CJD in humans and TSEs in animals. When viewed under a
microscope, diseased brains take on a sponge-like appearance, since they become riddled with holes
and resemble sponges. The most prevalent TSE seen in humans is CJD. Kuru, fatal familial insomnia (FFI),
and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker illness are examples of human TSEs (GSS). Kuru was first discovered
among individuals of a secluded tribe in Papua, New Guinea, who committed ritual cannibalism.

Personality changes, memory loss, poor thinking, hazy vision or blindness, sleeplessness, incoordination,
trouble speaking, swallowing, and sudden jerky movements are all symptoms of CJD. Mental symptoms
intensify as the illness advances. The majority of people ultimately lapse into a coma. The most common
causes of death are heart failure, lung failure, pneumonia, or other infections, which usually occur
within a year.

There is currently no treatment that can cure or control CJD, however, research into a variety of drugs is
ongoing. The goal of current CJD treatment is to alleviate symptoms and provide as much comfort as
possible to the patient.
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative illness that causes the brain to shrink and brain
cells to die over time. Alzheimer's disease is the most typical type of dementia, characterized by
a progressive loss of cognitive, behavioral, and social abilities that impairs a person's capacity
to function. Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of 60-80% of dementia cases. The
disease mostly affects persons over the age of 65, with just 10% of cases occurring in those
under that age.
Alzheimer's disease is a brain disease that affects millions of people worldwide. At first, the
symptoms are minor, but as time passes, they get more severe. It was named after Dr. Alois
Alzheimer, who was the first to describe Alzheimer's disease in 1906.
As the disease advances, symptoms include problems with language, disorientation, mood
swings, loss of motivation, self-neglect, and behavioral issues.
One of the primary characteristics of the disease is the development of plaques and tangles in
the brain. Another characteristic is a lack of connectivity between the nerve cells, or neurons in
the brain. Because of these characteristics, information cannot readily flow between various
parts of the brain, as well as between the brain and muscles or organs. Individuals' ability to
remember recent events, reason, and identify people they know deteriorates as the symptoms
develop. A person with Alzheimer's disease may eventually require full-time help.
Alzheimer's disease has several stages that range from mild to severe. The scale starts with
mild impairment and progresses to moderate impairment until reaching severe cognitive loss.
People with mild Alzheimer's disease develop memory problems and cognitive difficulties, which
may include taking longer than usual to complete daily tasks, having difficulty handling money or
paying bills, getting lost and wandering, as well as psychological and behavioral changes such
as becoming more easily agitated or angry, hiding items, or pacing. The areas of the brain
responsible for language, senses, reason, and awareness are destroyed in moderate
Alzheimer's disease. Memory loss and confusion, inability to recognize friends or family, failure
to learn new things, trouble doing tasks involving several phases, such as getting dressed, and
difficulties coping with unfamiliar situations, impulsive behavior, and hallucinations are some of
the symptoms. Lastly, Plaques and tangles are seen throughout the brain in severe Alzheimer's
disease, causing the brain tissue to atrophy significantly. This can result in an inability to
communicate, a reliance on others for care, and an inability to leave the bed most of the time.
The brain tissue of someone with Alzheimer's disease has fewer nerve cells and connections,
and tiny deposits called plaques and tangles accumulate on the nerve tissue. Between the dying
brain cells, plaques develop. They're made from beta-amyloid, a kind of protein. And
meanwhile, tangles from within nerve cells. They're composed of tau, which is a different
protein.
Even though there is no cure, medications and other treatments can assist to reduce or relieve
cognitive, emotional, and behavioral symptoms, as well as enhance a person's quality of life.
References:

https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Creutzfeldt-Jakob-
Disease-Fact-Sheet

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/159442#symptoms