CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB-DISEASE WITH ALZHEIMER-TYPE A-BETA-REACTIVE AMYLOIDPLAQUES

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Gerstmann-Straussler-Scheinker syndrome are classified as transmissible cerebral amyloidoses, in contrast to t he non-transmissible amyloidoses of Alzheimer's disease type, While th e aetiologies of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Alzheimer's disease and the molecular composition of their amyloids are different, similar ba sic pathogenetic mechanisms operate in both diseases through synthesis and processing of amyloid precursor proteins, to produce an accumulat ion of amyloid deposits. We report here a case of Creutzfeldt-Jakob di sease exhibiting numerous diffuse AP immunoreactive plaques, thus pres enting features of both Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and Alzheimer's dise ase, The existence of such cases underlines the existence of a 'grey' area between the two types of amyloidoses.