Objective: To investigate the correlation between the EEG findings and the clinical signs of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD).
Methods: Serial standard recording during different stage of disease was conducted among 13 patients with CJD, 10 males and 3 females, with the year of onset of 58.2 (49 approximately 65). The EEG findings were analyzed in combination of the clinical symptoms and signs.
Results: 12 of the 13 patients showed typical periodic sharp wave complexes (PSWCs), occurring after the onset of myoclonus and akinetic mutism in 8 patients, both after myoconus and before akinetic mutism in 2 cases, and just at the onset of akinetic mutism before or after the onset of myoclonus respectively in 2 cases. Different EEG features were observed in different stages of disease. Frontal intermittent rhythmic delta activity (FIRDA) and frontal intermittent rhythmic triphasic slow wave, which was replaced by PSWC later, were seen in 4 cases.
Conclusion: PSWC has a close association with myoclonus and akinetic mutism. The best time of EEG recording is when myoclonus and/or akinetic mutism happen. FIRDA and frontal intermittent rhythmic triphasic slow wave may be hint of the onset of PSWC.