Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

or Creutz·feldt-Ja·cob disease

[ kroits-felt yah-kawp ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a rare, usually fatal brain disorder thought to be caused by an infectious prion and characterized by progressive dementia, blindness, and involuntary movements.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

/ ˈkrɔɪtsfɛlt ˈjɑːkɒp /

noun

1. pathol a fatal slow-developing disease that affects the central nervous system, characterized by mental deterioration and loss of coordination of the limbs. It is thought to be caused by an abnormal prion protein in the brain

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

/ kroits′fĕlt-yä′kôp /

1. A rare, usually fatal encephalopathy that occurs most often in middle age and is likely caused by a prion. It is characterized by progressive dementia and gradual loss of muscle control. The disease is named after its discoverers, German pathologist Hans Gerhard Creutzfeldt (1885–1964) and German neurologist Alfons Maria Jakob (1884–1931).

Word History and Origins

Origin of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease¹

1965–70; after German physicians Hans G. Creutzfeldt (1885–1964) and Alfons Jakob (1884–1931)

Word History and Origins

Origin of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease¹

C20: named after Hans G. Creutzfeldt (1885–1964) and Alfons Jakob (1884–1931), German physicians