Living with Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
A rare brain condition from the prion family that begins with mood and thinking changes in adults.
Understanding Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
All forms of CJD are rare, progressive brain conditions called prion diseases, caused by abnormal proteins in the brain. GARD says vCJD can result from exposure to contaminated products. It mainly affects adults.
Signs & symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these:
- Early psychiatric symptoms
- Decline in thinking (cognitive decline)
Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.
Diagnosis
- 1Talk with your doctor
Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.
- 2See a specialist
Specialists who may be involved include brain and nervous system specialists.
- 3Ask which tests can help
Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.
Care & treatment
- Care team
- Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists)
- Expert care
- Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
- Treatment
- GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
- Research
- Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.
General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.
Everyday life
Living with a rare condition is easier with support.
- Connect with Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation, Inc
- Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
- Ask about patient registries that help research
- Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Quick facts
GARD says it can result when someone is exposed to contaminated products. The infection that causes the disease in cows is believed to be the same one behind vCJD.
Also known as: creutzfeldt-jakob variant disease; new variant creutzfeldt-jakob disease; nvcjd - new variant of creutzfeldt-jakob disease; variant mcj; vcjd; vcjd - variant creutzfeldt-jakob disease
Patient organizations
- Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation, IncVariant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease · United States
You are more than your diagnosis
Perspectives from people navigating life with Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Explore research for Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
Explore actively recruiting Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease studies with HealthSpark.
Find actively recruiting studies for Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with HealthSpark. Share your city to explore research near you.
- Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
- Share your city to look for research near you
- Eligibility is confirmed by the study team
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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.
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