Organic psychiatry: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease: practice question

A Psychiatry question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Psychiatry · Organic psychiatry: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Sample item

A 62-year-old develops rapidly progressive dementia, myoclonic jerks and ataxia over 4 months. EEG shows periodic sharp wave complexes. The diagnosis is:

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

CJD is a prion disease with rapidly progressive dementia, myoclonus and characteristic periodic sharp wave complexes on EEG, with 14-3-3 protein in CSF and cortical ribboning on MRI. Spongiform change is the histological hallmark.

Option by option

  • A. Alzheimer disease

    Alzheimer disease is slowly progressive.

  • B. Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (correct)

    Correct. Rapid dementia with myoclonus and periodic complexes is CJD.

  • C. Vascular dementia

    Vascular dementia is stepwise.

  • D. Normal pressure hydrocephalus

    NPH has gait and urinary signs without myoclonus.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

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Questions about this Psychiatry question

What is the answer to this Psychiatry question?

The best answer is B, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. CJD is a prion disease with rapidly progressive dementia, myoclonus and characteristic periodic sharp wave complexes on EEG, with 14-3-3 protein in CSF and cortical ribboning on MRI.

Why is "Alzheimer disease" not the answer?

Alzheimer disease is slowly progressive.

Why is "Vascular dementia" not the answer?

Vascular dementia is stepwise.

Why is "Normal pressure hydrocephalus" not the answer?

NPH has gait and urinary signs without myoclonus.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Organic psychiatry: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in Psychiatry. Spongiform change is the histological hallmark.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Organic psychiatry: Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease?

Learn each diagnosis by its core features and its first-line treatment. Then use the flashcards and the other Psychiatry questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.