Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) constitutes an aggressively advancing, terminal neurodegenerative condition classified within the spectrum of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. The difficulty in establishing a diagnosis before death arises from the condition's rarity and the resulting limited level of suspicion attributed to it. The polymorphic nature of CJD symptoms contributes to the challenge of early diagnostic recognition. Emotional and behavioral changes have been well documented, but the initial presentation of euphoria has not been documented. Here, we present the case of a female patient who was experiencing an unusual state of euphoria followed by intermittently altered mental status. She was ultimately diagnosed with sporadic CJD, discharged home on hospice, and died within six months of discharge.
Keywords: 14-3-3 gamma; cerebrospinal fluid biomarker; cognitive deterioration; creutzfeldt-jakob disease; euphoria; human prion disease.
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