Final answer:
Misfolded protein deposits causing neurodegenerative diseases are known as prions, which can lead to conditions such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The misfolded protein deposits found in the brains of victims of neurodegenerative diseases are known as prions. Prions are abnormal, infectious forms of proteins that cause other proteins within the brain to misfold as well, leading to various forms of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE), which is a group of rare degenerative brain disorders. Diseases like Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, are associated with the accumulation of aberrant protein structures in the brain, which can cause significant neurological damage.