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Prion disease

Thorough work-up and new diagnostic criteria needed for CJD

The diagnosis of rapidly progressive dementias (RPDs), particularly sporadic Jakob–Creutzfeldt disease (sCJD), can prove challenging. Treatable RPDs can mimic sCJD, which is currently untreatable. A recent review of a large cohort of patients with suspected CJD highlights the extent of misdiagnosis and possible sources of error.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are supported by NIH National Institute on Aging grants R01-AG031189 (M. D. Geschwind) and T32-AG23481 (D. C. Perry). M. D. Geschwind also receives research support from the Michael J. Homer Family Fund.

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Correspondence to Michael D. Geschwind.

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M. D. Geschwind serves on a scientific advisory board for Lundbeck and has served as a consultant for MedaCorp, Gerson-Lehman Group, and The Council of Advisors. D. C. Perry declares no competing interests.

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Perry, D., Geschwind, M. Thorough work-up and new diagnostic criteria needed for CJD. Nat Rev Neurol 7, 479–480 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2011.118

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