Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease - Symptoms
About 1 in 4 people with CJD shows relatively mild symptoms of the disease at first. These symptoms include a generalized weakness, changes in sleep pattern, weight loss, or loss of appetite or sexual drive. Vision problems are also common.
Eventually, the most common symptom of CJD appears. This is dementia, or loss of mental function. Dementia is marked by:
- Memory loss
- Decreased ability to do abstract thinking and planning
- Problems with language and comprehension (understanding)
- Poor judgment
- Disorientation (confusion)
- Decreased ability to pay attention and increased restlessness
- Personality changes
- Hallucinations
Physical symptoms may also appear. These symptoms include muscle spasms, jerking movements, problems with balance and coordination, and muscle stiffness.
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