[Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease].

Starting out from a case report about a 84-year-old woman changing from absolute inconspicuousness to complete senile dementia within a few months, the authors present a not very well known neuropsychiatric disorder: the Jakob-Creutzfeldt disease. In short, historical, morphological and symptomatological aspects and laboratory findings are discussed, and it is shown that the complex problem of etiology and pathogenesis still is not entirely understood. It is pointed out, that earlier therapeutical attempts have not led to a significant improvement.