Rapid cognitive decline: not always Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

Rapid cognitive decline: not always Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. J R Coll Physicians Edinb. 2015 Sep;45(3):209-12 Authors: Randall A, Ellis R, Hywel B, Davies RR, Alusi SH, Larner AJ Abstract A patient with rapidly progressive cognitive decline over an approximately four month period was suspected to have sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Features thought to support this diagnosis included psychiatric symptoms (anxiety and depression), visual hallucinations and a visual field defect. However, the finding of papilloedema broadened the differential diagnosis. Although standard brain imaging and electroencephalography had shown only non-specific abnormalities, subsequent cerebral angiography disclosed an intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula. Following embolisation, the patient made a good functional recovery. Intracranial dural arteriovenous fistula merits consideration in any patient with subacute cognitive decline, and should be included in the differential diagnosis of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. PMID: 26517100 [PubMed - in process]
Source: Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh - Category: Journals (General) Tags: J R Coll Physicians Edinb Source Type: research