| Alzheimer's disease (AD), also known simply | | | | identified with Alzheimer's disease. |
| as Alzheimer's, is a neurodegenerative | | | | |
| disease characterized by progressive | | | | Alzheimer would later work in the laboratory |
| cognitive deterioration together with | | | | of the preeminent Emil Kraepelin in Munich, |
| declining activities of daily living and | | | | Germany. Kraepelin was the author of a |
| neuropsychiatric symptoms or behavioral | | | | leading textbook in psychiatry and was a |
| changes. It is the most common type of | | | | strong believer that neuropathology could be |
| dementia. | | | | linked to clinical psychiatric function. |
| | | | Early in April 1906, Auguste D. died, and |
| The most striking early symptom is loss of | | | | Alzheimer worked with two Italian physicians |
| short term memory (amnesia), which usually | | | | to examine her anatomy and neuropathology. On |
| manifests as minor forgetfulness that becomes | | | | November 3, 1906, he presented Auguste D.'s |
| steadily more pronounced with illness | | | | case to the 37th Assembly of Southwest German |
| progression, with relative preservation of | | | | Psychiatrists and described the |
| older memories. As the disorder progresses, | | | | neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid plaques |
| cognitive (intellectual) impairment extends | | | | that have come to be considered the hallmark |
| to the domains of language (aphasia), skilled | | | | of the disease. Kraepelin would later write |
| movements (apraxia), recognition (agnosia), | | | | about this case and others in his Textbook |
| and those functions (such as decision-making | | | | for Students and Doctors and index them under |
| and planning) closely related to the frontal | | | | "Alzheimer's disease". By 1910, this |
| and temporal lobes of the brain as they | | | | denomination for the disease was well |
| become disconnected from the limbic system, | | | | established among the specialist community. |
| reflecting extension of the underlying | | | | [2] |
| pathological process. These changes make up | | | | |
| the essential human qualities, and thus AD is | | | | For most of the twentieth century, the |
| sometimes described as a disease where the | | | | diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease was reserved |
| victims suffer the loss of qualities that | | | | for individuals between the ages of 45-65 who |
| define human existence. | | | | developed symptoms of presenile dementia due |
| | | | to the histopathologic process discovered by |
| This pathological process consists | | | | Dr. Alzheimer (see below for description of |
| principally of neuronal loss or atrophy, | | | | brain tissue changes). During this time |
| principally in the temporoparietal cortex, | | | | senile dementia itself (as a set of symptoms) |
| but also in the frontal cortex, together with | | | | was considered to be a more or less normal |
| an inflammatory response to the deposition of | | | | outcome of the aging process, and thought to |
| amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. | | | | be due to age-related brain arterial |
| | | | "hardening." In the 1970s and early 1980s, |
| The ultimate cause of the disease is unknown. | | | | because the symptoms and brain pathology were |
| Genetic factors are known to be important, | | | | identical for Alzheimer victims older and |
| and dominant mutations in three different | | | | younger than age 65, the name "Alzheimer's |
| genes have been identified that account for a | | | | disease" began to be used, within and outside |
| much smaller number of cases of familial, | | | | the medical profession, equally for afflicted |
| early-onset AD. For the more common form of | | | | individuals of all ages, although in this |
| late onset AD (LOAD), two susceptibility | | | | period the term senile dementia of the |
| genes have been identified: ApoE and SORL1, | | | | Alzheimer type (SDAT) was often used to |
| or SORL1.[1]. | | | | distinguish those over 65 who did not fit the |
| | | | classical age criterion. Eventually, the term |
| In 1901, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German | | | | Alzheimer's disease was adopted formally in |
| psychiatrist, interviewed a patient named | | | | the psychiatric and neurological nomenclature |
| Mrs. Auguste D., age 51. He showed her | | | | to describe individuals of all ages with the |
| several objects and later asked her what she | | | | characteristic common symptom pattern, |
| had been shown. She could not remember. He | | | | disease course, and neuropathology. The term |
| would initially record her behavior as | | | | Alzheimer disease (without the apostrophe and |
| "amnestic writing disorder," but Mrs. Auguste | | | | s) also continues to be used commonly in the |
| D. would be the first patient to be | | | | literature. |