Chemnitzer calls for enlightenment after her mother's puzzling death

Chemnitzer calls for enlightenment after her mother's puzzling death

Annica Fischer faces an emotional challenge while looking for answers to the death of her mother Heike. Heike, who has been cared for by her daughter at home for three years, died on April 4, 2025 at the age of 57. Her health problems began with increasing symptoms of dementia, which is why it was admitted to a nursing home in September 2024. In March 2025, Heike had to be moved to the gerontopsychiatry of the Chemnitz Clinic due to a change table for medication. A suspicion of a Creutzfeldt-Jakob-Disease (CJD) was carried out, however, no posthume autopsy was carried out to determine the exact reason of her death.

The Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disease, the cause of which is abnormal proteins, the so-called prions. These prions lead to a destruction of the nerve cells in the brain, which has serious consequences for the patients. At Heike, as with many others, memory disorders and confusion occurred at an early stage. The disease progresses faster than others, such as Alzheimer's, and affects around 1 in 1 million people worldwide every year.

symptoms and the course of the disease

The first symptoms of CJD include memory disorders, behavioral changes and sudden confusion. In the later stages, those affected suffer from muscle twitches, coordination disorders and seizures. As a rule, the disease leads to death within months to a few years. The course varies, but 90 % of patients with sporadic CJD die within one year of diagnosis. Heike took the rapid decline, which is usually associated with complete impairment of cognitive skills.

The different forms of the disease include sporadic, family and iatrogenic CJD. In the sporadic form, which is about 85 % of cases, the disease occurs without a known cause. Family members can be genetically affected, which is the case in 10-15 % of cases. The iatrogenic CJD can be transferred through medical interventions or the consumption of contaminated foods such as infected beef.

lack of autopsy and urgent need for information

The fact that no autopsy was carried out increases the feeling of fainting with Annica Fischer. Many members of patients with CJD are looking for answers to better understand the course of the disease and to recognize any risks for other family members. Dealing with this difficult diagnosis often requires extensive support and palliative care.

The treatment options are limited; There is currently no healing. The focus is on relieving symptoms and improving the quality of life of the people concerned. Information and resources for affected families are all the more important. Organizations such as the Alzheimer’s Association to throw terrible illness.