Genetics and Genomics Commons^™

Prion Diseases: Causes, Symptoms, And Treatments

D.U.Quark

Prions are pathogenic molecules which cause prion proteins, found abundantly in the brain, to fold improperly. In the following review, I will discuss the source of prions and the fundamental biochemical pathways which cause the prion proteins to misfold. I will also elucidate the factors that determine which form of disease the prions differentiate into. Prion diseases include Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, and Fatal Familial Insomnia. This discussion will also analyze various benchmarks in brain atrophy and symptoms by which the progression can be judged. The survival rate of prion diseases is zero percent, and current treatments only temporarily …