What do all known prion diseases affect in the body?

• A. The brain or other neural tissue
• B. The heart
• C. The liver
• D. The skin

Answer: (A)

Prion diseases target the nervous system because the misfolded prion proteins accumulate mainly in brain and other neural tissues, leading to rapid neurodegeneration. Prions are abnormally folded forms of a normal brain protein (PrP) that convert surrounding normal PrP into the diseased form, causing widespread neuronal damage and characteristic spongiform changes in neural tissue. This neurodegeneration produces the hallmark symptoms like rapidly progressive dementia, coordination problems, and involuntary movements. The heart, liver, and skin aren’t the primary sites of prion pathology, so those organs aren’t the typical targets of these diseases.