An Atypical Presentation of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease With a Heidenhain Variant and Balint's Syndrome

Curēus
Abhishek Gupta, Anurag Dhingra

Abstract

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is known for a rapidly progressive decline in cognitive functions due to an underlying infection from a prion. This case involves a unique and atypical variant of CJD that was difficult to diagnose for the investigating medical teams. As such, it highlights the particular challenge of using traditional diagnostic algorithms for atypical variants of CJD, in terms of time-appropriate diagnostics. The patient presented with a sudden episode of vertigo which was treated as an isolated symptom. While succeeding investigations involving neurology and otolaryngology specialists were being carried out, the patient experienced progressively worsening and more frequent episodes of disequilibrium that required multiple visits to emergency care facilities. In such a facility, a repetitive battery of serum and cerebrospinal fluid testing confirmed the diagnosis of CJD. Subsequently, the patient was provided the necessary supportive care. While this case was successfully diagnosed, it showed that common presentations can have significant underlying neurological implications, and such atypical variants should be accounted for in traditional diagnostic algorithms. This can avoid unnecessary delays in therapeutic...Continue Reading

References

Nov 5, 2008·Canadian Journal of Ophthalmology. Journal Canadien D'ophtalmologie·Alain A ProulxDavid A Nicolle
Sep 24, 2009·Brain : a Journal of Neurology·I ZerrP Sanchez-Juan
Sep 12, 2015·Journal of Clinical Neuroscience : Official Journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia·Aaron WongHelen V Danesh-Meyer
Sep 28, 2018·Radiology Case Reports·Aliaa GhoneimRavi Jampana
Oct 15, 2018·Alzheimer's & Dementia : the Journal of the Alzheimer's Association·Leslie M ShawSheila Fifer
Mar 27, 2019·Alzheimer's & Dementia : Diagnosis, Assessment & Disease Monitoring·Cai GillisNancy Maserejian

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
electrophoresis

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

CSF & Lymphatic System

This feed focuses on Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) and the lymphatic system. Discover the latest papers using imaging techniques to track CSF outflow into the lymphatic system in animal models.

Related Papers

Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine
Kiyotoshi Kaneko
Haemophilia : the Official Journal of the World Federation of Hemophilia
J W Ironside
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved