A 51-year-old female teacher of dance was referred to the diagnostic unit of our psychiatric hospital with symptoms of anxiety and depression. The clinical image was suggestive of organic pathology, but this could not be determined with certainty until a late stage. We discuss the course of the patient's illness. Her symptoms appeared to be psychiatric and closely resembled those of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. We comment on some of the signs that could have led to an earlier diagnosis and we discuss the tools that are needed.