What are the referral criteria for a suspected case of CJD to a specia

Guideline-aligned answer with reasoning, red flags and references. Clinically reviewed by Dr Kola Tytler MBBS CertHE MBA MRCGP.

Referral criteria for suspected Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) to a specialist neurology service:

Refer people with suspected rapidly progressive dementia to a neurological service with access to tests including cerebrospinal fluid examination for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and similar conditions.
This referral is indicated when reversible causes of cognitive decline have been investigated and dementia is still suspected.
Specialist neurology services should have the capability to perform diagnostic tests such as cerebrospinal fluid analysis to confirm or exclude CJD.

These criteria ensure timely specialist assessment for rapidly progressive dementia cases where CJD is a differential diagnosis.

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What are the referral criteria for a suspected case of CJD to a specialist neurology service?