High neuron-specific enolase level of cerebrospinal fluid in the early stage of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

The measurement of neuron-specific enolase level in serum and cerebrospinal fluid was conducted time-sequentially in an autopsy confirmed patient with Creutzfeld-Jakob disease. The level was markedly high in the early stage of the disease at which time the brain CT showed no or minimal abnormalities, while falling into the normal range in the advanced stage. This is the first report of the elevated level of neuron-specific enolase in Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.