Ashley Court of
Brighton
7400 Challis Road, Brighton, Michigan 48116
Ph: (810) 225-7400 Fax: (810) 225-8281
(Located next to Mt. Brighton Ski Resort)
Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease
Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease (CJD) is a rare, fatal brain disorder caused by a transmissible infectious organism, probably a virus. Early symptoms of CJD include failing memory, changes in behavior, and a lack of coordination. As the disease progresses, usually very rapidly, mental deterioration becomes pronounced, involuntary movements (especially muscle jerks) appear, and the patient may become blind, develop weakness in the arms or legs and ultimately lapse into a coma. The death of CJD patients is usually caused by infections in the bedridden, unconscious patient. Like Alzheimer's disease, a definitive diagnosis of CJD can be obtained only through an examination of brain tissue, usually at autopsy.
