Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

noun Creutz·feldt–Ja·kob disease \ˈkrȯits-ˌfelt-ˈyä-(ˌ)kōb-\

medical : a disease of the brain that causes people to lose their memory, to no longer be able to control their muscles, and eventually to die

Full Definition of CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE

: a rare progressive fatal encephalopathy caused by a prion and marked by development of porous brain tissue, premature dementia in middle age, and gradual loss of muscular coordination

See Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease defined for English-language learners

Variants of CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE

Creutz·feldt–Ja·kob disease also Creutz·feld–Ja·kob disease \ˈkrȯits-ˌfelt-ˈyä-(ˌ)kōb-\

Origin of CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB DISEASE

Hans G. Creutzfeldt †1964 German psychiatrist and Alfons M. Jakob †1931 German psychiatrist

First Known Use: 1963

Medical Dictionary

Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

noun Creutz·feldt–Ja·kob disease

Medical Definition of CREUTZFELDT–JAKOB DISEASE

: a rare progressive fatal prion disease marked by the development of porous brain tissue, premature dementia in middle age, and gradual loss of muscular coordination—abbreviation CJD; called also Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease; see variant creutzfeldt-jakob disease

Biographical Note for CREUTZFELDT–JAKOB DISEASE

Creutz·feldt \ˈkroits-ˌfelt\ Hans Gerhard (1885–1964), and Ja·kob \ˈyä-ˌkōp\ Alfons Maria (1884–1931), German psychiatrists. Creutzfeldt published his description of the disease now known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in 1920. A year later in the same neurological journal Jakob offered his description. Although Creutzfeldt's description is the original one, Jakob's is the better known of the two, so the disease is named in honor of both men.