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The past, present and future of Alzheimer's disease – part 1: the past

O passado, presente e futuro da doença de Alzheimer – parte 1: o passado

Abstract

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) was described in 1907, and since then it changed from a relatively rare condition to one of the most prevalent diseases.

Objective

To describe the evolution of the notions of dementias and AD, and to investigate the reasons for the increase in scientific interest in AD.

Methods

A historical analysis was carried out on knowledge about dementia, the site of mental activity, the relationships between brain diseases and mental activity, and on the advances in research about AD, since its discovery until the publication of the amyloid cascade hypothesis in 1992. A search was carried out in the National Library of Medicine (PubMed) for scientific articles that included the terms dementia or AD over 50 years, from 1972 to 2021.

Results

The scientific research on AD increased from 615 papers with the term AD in the first decade (1972-1981), to 100,028 papers in the last decade (2012-2021): an increase of 162.6 times whereas publications with the term dementia increased 28.6 times in the same period. In the 1960s and 1970s, a consensus was reached that AD is responsible for the majority of cases of dementia previously known as senile dementia. In the 1980s, beta-amyloid peptide was identified in the core of the senile plaque, hyperphosphorylated tau protein was found in neurofibrillary tangles, and a mutation was discovered in a hereditary form of AD.

Conclusion

The expansion of the concept of AD to include senile dementia, and the discoveries that occurred in the 1980s greatly expanded research in AD.

Keywords
History; Alzheimer Disease; Plaque Amyloid; Neurofibrillary Tangles; Amyloid beta-Peptides; Alois Alzheimer; Oskar Fischer; Emil Kraepelin

Resumo

Antecedentes

A doença de Alzheimer (DA) foi descrita em 1907 e, desde então, deixou de ser relativamente rara para se tornar uma das doenças mais prevalentes.

Objetivo

Descrever a evolução das noções sobre demências e DA e investigar as razões do aumento do interesse científico pela DA.

Métodos

Foi realizada uma análise histórica dos conhecimentos sobre demência, o local da atividade mental, as relações entre doenças cerebrais e a atividade mental, e sobre os avanços na pesquisa sobre a DA, desde a sua descoberta até a publicação da hipótese da cascata amiloide em 1992. Foi realizada uma busca na Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina dos Estados Unidos da América (PubMed) por artigos científicos que incluíssem os termos demência ou DA nos 50 anos, de 1972 a 2021.

Resultados

A pesquisa científica sobre DA aumentou de 615 artigos com o termo doença de Alzheimer na primeira década (1972-1981), para 100.028 artigos na última década (2012-2021): um aumento de 162,6 vezes enquanto as publicações com o termo demência aumentaram 28,6 vezes no mesmo período. Nas décadas de 1960 e 1970, chegou-se a um consenso de que a DA é responsável pela maioria dos casos de demência, anteriormente conhecida como demência senil. Na década de 1980, o peptídeo beta-amiloide foi identificado no núcleo da placa senil, a proteína tau hiperfosforilada foi encontrada em emaranhados neurofibrilares e uma mutação foi descoberta em uma forma hereditária de DA.

Conclusão

A expansão do conceito de DA para incluir a demência senil e as descobertas ocorridas na década de 1980 ampliaram enormemente a pesquisa em DA.

Palavras-chave
História; Doença de Alzheimer; Placa Amiloide; Emaranhados Neurofibrilares; Peptídeos beta-Amiloides; Alois Alzheimer; Oskar Fischer; Emil Kraepelin

INTRODUCTION

This article is based on a conference given in brain, behavior, and emotions, a multidisciplinary congress held in Florianópolis, Brazil, in June 2023. The multidisciplinary characteristics of the congress made it necessary to give explanations that were abbreviated for this publication.

The title of the article is rather pretentious, but it is also an opportunity for a general and personal view of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and dementias.

The objective is to give a view from the remote past to Alois Alzheimer's discovery, and from that to the period of the 1970s and 1980s when I was in the residency and post-graduate training, learning cognitive neurology and dementia. Then, in part 2, it goes to the present time with its hypotheses and theories, and from these to the near future and, even more cautiously, to the more distant future.

THE VERY FAR PAST

The decline in mental activity with aging already worried the ancient Egyptians. The Egyptian Vizier Ptahhotep wrote the following verses 2400 years B.C.: “The mouth, silent, does not speak,/ The empty heart, does not remember the past…/ What age does to the people is bad in all respects” (cited by Karenberg and Förstl, 2006).11 Karenberg A, Förstl H. Dementia in the Greco-Roman world. J Neurol Sci 2006;244(1-2):5–9. Doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2005.12.004
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jns.2005.12.00...

In Rome, Marcus Tulio Cicero (106- 43 B.C.) wrote in De Senectude, in 44 BC: “But, is alleged, the memory is impaired. Of course, if you do not exercise it…”.22 Cicero MT. Cato Maior De Senectude. New York: Cambridge University Press;; 1988 He therefore recognized that memory decline was not part of normal aging. His view was closer to that currently defended.

THE SEAT OF MENTAL ACTIVITY

Recognizing the seat of mental activity has always been a complex issue for human beings. This concern was already present among the Egyptians who placed it on the heart and lungs. The heart was recognized as the seat of mental activity by the Babylonians, Indians, and even North American indigenous people.33 Gross CG. Aristotle on the brain. Neuroscientist 1995;1:245–250 This conception, apparently meaningless today, is based on two simple observations: the first is that life ceases with the heart stopping and the second is that emotions cause sensations in the chest that result from tachycardia. It is recognized that in the fifth century BC, Alcmaeon of Croton in Sicily, which was then part of Magna Grecia, was the first to write that mental activity originated in the brain. Alcmaeon, who is considered a member of the Pythagorean school, carried out dissections and found that the optic nerves went toward the brain (they were light-bearing paths to the brain). Hippocrates and the Hippocratic doctors, contemporaries of Alcmaeon, also located mental activity in the brain.33 Gross CG. Aristotle on the brain. Neuroscientist 1995;1:245–250 However, Aristotle, approximately a century later, maintained the conception that the heart was primarily responsible for mental activity in its broadest sense.33 Gross CG. Aristotle on the brain. Neuroscientist 1995;1:245–250 Aristotle exerted a great influence on Western civilization, in such a way that (the heart is still the seat of passions and mind in Western music and poetry).

THE BRAIN AND MENTAL ILLNESS

Hippocrates and his school already considered mental illnesses and epilepsy as diseases of the brain,33 Gross CG. Aristotle on the brain. Neuroscientist 1995;1:245–250 but for a long time, scholars of mental illnesses did not directly relate them to the brain. Or the brain was not taken into consideration.

The most important demonstration that mental illnesses were a consequence of brain impairment occurred in 1822, when Antoine-Laurent-Jessé Bayle (1799-1858), then 23 years old, carried out his thesis called Recherches sur les maladies mentales in which he studied the General Paresis of the Insane (GPI or Dementia Paralytica) and wrote: “I will achieve my goal if this part of my work can prove that chronic arachnitis exists and that it gives rise to the symptoms of mental derangement”.44 Quétel C. History of Syphilis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 1990:160–161.(Translated from the 1986 French edition) And he demonstrated the inflammation that affected the meninges and brain parenchyma. “For the first time, then, 'something' had been discovered in the brain of the insane.”44 Quétel C. History of Syphilis. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press; 1990:160–161.(Translated from the 1986 French edition)

The proof that a mental illness as complex as GPI is caused by impairment of the brain received the following comment from Emil Kaeprelin, considered the father of Modern psychiatry, in 1917: “The great step toward understanding the etiology of mental illness was the discovery that paresis (GPI) resulted from syphilis”.55 Kraepelin E. One hundred years of psychiatry. New York: Philosophical Library; 1962 (Translated from the 1917 German edition.) p. 130 It took more than 90 years for demonstrating that GPI is caused by syphilis, when, after the discovery of Treponema pallidum as the causal agent of syphilis by Shaudin and Hoffman in 1905, Noguchi and Moore identified it in the brains of patients with GPI in 1913.66 Nitrini R. The cure of one of the most frequent types of dementia: a historical parallel. Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord 2005;19(03): 156–158. Doi: 10.1097/01.wad.0000174993.62494.fb
https://doi.org/10.1097/01.wad.000017499...

Although science has only demonstrated that mental illness can occur due to brain damage, popular culture, and art had already anticipated it, as demonstrated by the painting by Hieronymus Bosch (1450-1516), called The Extraction of the Stone of Madness or The Cure of Folly.

From Bayle's discovery, it became clear that every psychiatric hospital should have a laboratory for histopathological studies of the brain.

THE DISCOVERY OF ALOIS ALZHEIMER

Alois Alzheimer (1864-1915) was a physician at the Municipal Asylum for the Insane and Epileptic in Frankfurt am Main, when in 1901 he examined for the first time the patient Auguste Deter, a 51-year-old woman with a progressive mental illness that had started about six years before, with excessive jealousy of her husband followed by memory impairment, topographical disorientation, difficulties in carrying out domestic tasks, and delusions that people wanted to kill her when she started screaming or hiding77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.),88 Alzheimer A. A characteristic disease of the cerebral cortex. Allgemeine Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie un Psychisch-Gerichtliche Medizin,. 1907; 64:146-148. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:1–3 When A. Alzheimer first evaluated her In November 1901, Auguste D. already had a moderate to severe dementia syndrome. When examining the patient, A. Alzheimer performed a physical examination and a neurological examination in which he assessed the pupils, reflexes, temporal and spatial orientation, memory, and the presence of aphasia, agnosia, apraxia, and acalculia. There were important mental and cognitive disorders, she seemed to not understand where she was, and she had language and perception disorders in which she did not recognize the use of some objects. There were no motor or gait changes.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.),88 Alzheimer A. A characteristic disease of the cerebral cortex. Allgemeine Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie un Psychisch-Gerichtliche Medizin,. 1907; 64:146-148. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:1–3 A. Alzheimer was intrigued by the case and in the provisional diagnosis he noted arteriosclerotic brain atrophy with a question mark.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.)

Usually, Alois Alzheimer is referred to as a psychiatrist. The evaluation of patient Auguste Deter is more akin to the examination carried out by a physician trained as a neurologist than as a psychiatrist. An explanation is in order here. There were no differences in the training of psychiatrists and neurologists in Germany and German-speaking countries in the 19th century when A. Alzheimer obtained his training and even throughout much of the 20th century. Therefore, A. Alzheimer as well as his contemporaries with the same training should be recognized as neuropsychiatrists. Wilhelm Erb (1840-1921), Kraepelin's mentor, began his fight for the separation of the two specialties in 1880 as he considered it very difficult, if not impossible, for an individual to have sufficient knowledge in both specialties. It is interesting to add that when Emil Kraepelin was invited to take over the chair of Neuropsychiatry at the Berlin Polyclinic, he accepted the invitation as long as another chair was created, that of Neurology. As his request was denied, Kraepelin declined the invitation.99 Isler R. Neurology and the neurological sciences in the German-speaking countries. In: Finger S, Boller F, Tyler KL, eds. History of neurology. Handbook of clinical neurology; 2010;95:667–689,1010 Nitrini R. [Neurology as a medical specialty: a historic interpretation] In Portuguese. A Neurologia como Especialidade Médica: Uma Interpretação Histórica. In: Gagliardi R, Takayanagui, eds. Tratado de Neurologia da Academia Brasileira de Neurologia. 2ᵃ ed,. Rio de Janeiro: Elsevier; 2019:12–16 The separation between the two specialties only occurred in 1970 in Germany.99 Isler R. Neurology and the neurological sciences in the German-speaking countries. In: Finger S, Boller F, Tyler KL, eds. History of neurology. Handbook of clinical neurology; 2010;95:667–689

But in addition to being a neuropsychiatrist, A. Alzheimer was an extraordinary neuropathologist. He was known by his contemporaries as “the psychiatrist with the microscope”.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.)

His neuropathological studies on GPI received the following commentary in the classic book Neurosyphilis, from 1946: “The next advance in our knowledge of paretic neurosyphilis is to be found in the monumental works of Alzheimer and Nissl in 1904”.1111 Merritt HH, Adams RD, Solomon HC. Neurosyphilis. New York: Oxford University Press; 1946:176

It is important here to consider the influence of Franz Nissl (1860-1919) on the formation of A. Alzheimer.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.),1212 Hippius H, Neundörfer G. The discovery of Alzheimer's disease. Dialogues Clin Neurosci 2003;5(01):101–1081414 Gomes MDM. Franz Nissl (1860-1919), noted neuropsychiatrist and neuropathologist, staining the neuron, but not limiting it. Dement Neuropsychol 2019;13(03):352–355. Doi: 10.1590/1980-57642018dn13-030014
https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-57642018dn1...
Nissl discovered a new staining method, which identifies neurons and is still widely used.1414 Gomes MDM. Franz Nissl (1860-1919), noted neuropsychiatrist and neuropathologist, staining the neuron, but not limiting it. Dement Neuropsychol 2019;13(03):352–355. Doi: 10.1590/1980-57642018dn13-030014
https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-57642018dn1...
They worked together at Municipal Asylum in Frankfurt for 7 years and became friends. When A. Alzheimer got married, Franz Nissl was his best man.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.),1313 Pérez-Trullén JM. A brief biography of Alois Alzheimer. Neurosci Hist 2013;1(03):125–136 In addition to having taught how to use his staining method and how to use the camera lucida to draw microscopic images, Nissl has probably taught many other aspects of neuropathology and academic matters, because A. Alzheimer considered Nissl his main mentor.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.),1313 Pérez-Trullén JM. A brief biography of Alois Alzheimer. Neurosci Hist 2013;1(03):125–136 In 1903, A. Alzheimer joined Franz Nissl again, who was working under the leadership of Emil Kraepelin at the University Hospital of Heidelberg. At the end of the same year, Kraepelin was invited to be the director of the Royal Psychiatric Clinic in Munich and needed someone to create and direct the institution's Neuropathology laboratory. A. Alzheimer was chosen (while Nissl took over Kraepelin's position in Heidelberg).77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.),1414 Gomes MDM. Franz Nissl (1860-1919), noted neuropsychiatrist and neuropathologist, staining the neuron, but not limiting it. Dement Neuropsychol 2019;13(03):352–355. Doi: 10.1590/1980-57642018dn13-030014
https://doi.org/10.1590/1980-57642018dn1...
After more than one year of hard work by Kraepelin and Alzheimer, the clinic with its laboratory was opened in 1904.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.) This laboratory would later influence the training of many neuropathologists around the world, such as Lewy, Jakob, Creutzfeldt77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.) and Von Economo1515 Teive HAG, Tensini FS, Lima PG, Camargo CHF. Constantin von Economós 90th death anniversary. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 2021;79 (11):1039–1042. Doi: 10.1590/0004-282X-ANP-2021-0098
https://doi.org/10.1590/0004-282X-ANP-20...
and in addition to Perusini who published the first cases of Alzheimer's disease with A. Alzheimer (cited by Pepeu, 1987).1616 Pepeu G. Introduction. In In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987

When A. Alzheimer transferred to Breslau where he assumed the position of Full Professor, he was replaced by Walther Spielmeyer as director of the pathology laboratory, which in the period between the First and Second World Wars was the main neuropathology laboratory, responsible for training the most illustrious neuropathologists around the world.1717 Neubuerger KT. The history of neuropathology. In: Minckler J, ed. The Pathology of the Nervous System. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company; 1968:1–14

The thesis for qualification or permission to teach in the field of neuropsychiatry, presented in 1904 at the University of Munich, is entitled “The Differential Diagnosis of Progressive Paralysis”.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.)

And as head of the laboratory, he received Auguste Deter's brain from Emil Sioli, director of the Municipal Asylum in Frankfurt, when she died in 1906.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.)

In the Annual Assembly of the German Association of Psychiatry held in Munich, in 1906, Alfred F. Hoche, an important member of the association, criticized the studies that had sought to interpret mental illnesses based on neuropathology and said that “until now, this hope has been the assumption below all expectations”.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.) A. Alzheimer's response was that his patient Auguste D., from Frankfurt, had died less than 2 weeks ago, after 4 and a half years of illness, and that he had the clinical data, had received the brain and that he intended to document that the neuropathological changes in this case were the cause of his mental disorders.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.) It is not clear whether A. Alzheimer had already been able to stain and examine the slides of Auguste D. in a relatively short time or whether his intuition had made him give this information. As we all know, intuition is a very important part of scientific discoveries.

The description of the clinical case and the neuropathological changes were presented for the first time at the Meeting of the South-West Germany Psychiatrists held in Tübingen, on November 6, 1906.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.),88 Alzheimer A. A characteristic disease of the cerebral cortex. Allgemeine Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie un Psychisch-Gerichtliche Medizin,. 1907; 64:146-148. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:1–3 In addition to citing the clinical characteristics of the patient August Deter, A. Alzheimer presented slides demonstrating senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles changes observed with the Bielschowski technique (a silver impregnation technique, modified from the Golgi method). He reported the great cerebral atrophy on macroscopic examination and the neurofibrillary tangles and that as the neurofibrils started to be stained differently from normal neurofibrils, a chemical transformation of the neurofibril substance must have occurred; and that they accumulated a pathological product of metabolism inside the neuron. He further described that scattered throughout the cerebral cortex there were a large number of miliary foci that represent “the site of deposition of a peculiar substance in the cerebral cortex.”88 Alzheimer A. A characteristic disease of the cerebral cortex. Allgemeine Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie un Psychisch-Gerichtliche Medizin,. 1907; 64:146-148. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:1–3

The conclusions deserve to be repeated today: “It is evident that we are dealing with a peculiar, little-known disease process.” And continued: “We must not be satisfied to force it into the existing group of well-known disease patterns. It is clear that there exist many more mental diseases than our textbooks indicate”.88 Alzheimer A. A characteristic disease of the cerebral cortex. Allgemeine Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie un Psychisch-Gerichtliche Medizin,. 1907; 64:146-148. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:1–3

His presentation was not very successful. There were no comments from the audience or even from the chairman. According to Maurer and Maurer, this caused disappointment in A. Alzheimer, and this may have occurred because at that time the psychiatrists were deeply interested in the new psychoanalytic theory, and Carl Gustav Jung a close collaborator of Sigmund Freud was present at the conference.77 Maurer K, Maurer U. Alzheimer: the life of a physician and the career of a disease. New York: Columbia University Press; 2003 (Translated from the 1998 German edition.) The paper on Auguste Deter case was finally published in 1907.88 Alzheimer A. A characteristic disease of the cerebral cortex. Allgemeine Zeitschrift für Psychiatrie un Psychisch-Gerichtliche Medizin,. 1907; 64:146-148. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:1–3

In the 1910 edition of his book entitled Psychiatry: A textbook for students and doctors, Emil Kaepelin uses the name Alzheimer's disease for the first time in the chapter Senile and Pre-senile Dementias.1818 Kraepelin E. Senile and Pre-Senile Dementias. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:32–81, p. 77 (Translated from the 1910 German edition of Ein Lehrbuch für Studierende und Ärzte) And the paragraph in which it mentions it already suggests that the distinction with senile dementia was not well established. Repeating here, from the English version: “The clinical interpretation of this Alzheimer's disease is still confused.” And Kraepelin went on to write that it may be “a particularly serious form of senile dementia” … or “a more or less age-independent unique disease process.”1818 Kraepelin E. Senile and Pre-Senile Dementias. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:32–81, p. 77 (Translated from the 1910 German edition of Ein Lehrbuch für Studierende und Ärzte)

THE RELATIVELY RECENT PAST

In 1972 when I started my residency in Neurology in the Neurology Division of Hospital das Clínicas of the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and, as usual, only a few residents were more interested in what were then called Higher Nervous Activities or Neuropsychology. I was one of these. At that time, we strived for understanding aphasia, memory, agnosias, and apraxias. Dementia was not a very important part of our studies. Aleksander R. Luria1919 Luria AR. The Working Brain: An Introduction to Neuropsychology. London: Penguin Books; 1973,2020 Luria AR. Higher Cortical Functions in Man. New York: Basic Books; 1973 and Norman Geschwind2121 Geschwind N. Disconnexion syndromes in animals and man. I. Brain 1965;88(02):237–294. Doi: 10.1093/brain/88.2.237
https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/88.2.237...
,2222 Geschwind N. Disconnexion syndromes in animals and man. II. Brain 1965;88(03):585–644. Doi: 10.1093/brain/88.3.585
https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/88.3.585...
were our main guides.2323 Lefèvre BH, Nitrini R. [Neuropsychological semiology]. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 1985;43(02):119–132. Portuguese. Doi: 10.1590/s0004-282. Doi: [notdef] 1985000200001. PMID: 4062596
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0004-282...

At that time, Alzheimer's disease (AD), as well as Pick's disease were considered rare forms of presenile dementia, and the general public as well as most physicians considered that dementia of the aged was caused by arteriosclerosis. Today it seems a gross error, but it is necessary to remember that, even today, vascular changes are very common in cases diagnosed as AD, and that pure AD is less common than AD associated with other diseases, especially in the very old, as we will see in part 2. Although larger infarcts are not usual in the dementia of the aged, small vessel disease is common, a fact already reported by Kraepelin in 1910.1818 Kraepelin E. Senile and Pre-Senile Dementias. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:32–81, p. 77 (Translated from the 1910 German edition of Ein Lehrbuch für Studierende und Ärzte)

It is interesting to see, in table, the number of published papers that included the terms Alzheimer's disease or dementia for 50 years, in periods of five years, from 1972 until 2021, that were registered in the National Library of Medicine and obtained through the PubMed on October 5, 2023.

It is possible to observe how the research on dementia and especially on AD increased in these 50 years (Table 1). Even when we take into account the increasing number of journals and papers in general over the years, the increase in scientific research on AD and dementia is still amazing. In the first 10 years (1972-1981), 615 papers included the term Alzheimer's disease, increasing to 9,246 in the following decade (1982-2001). This was an increase of 162.6 times whereas publications with the term dementia increased 28.6 times in the same period.

Table 1
Papers on Alzheimer's disease and on dementia in general, published by registered periodicals of the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

It is also interesting to note that in the first version (1985) of one of the best books dedicated to Neuropsychology or Higher Cortical Functions, designations that were appropriately replaced by Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology by Marsel Mesulam,2424 Mesulam M-M. Principles of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology. Philadelphia: Davis; 1985 there was not a chapter dedicated to dementia or Alzheimer's disease. However, In the second edition, in 2000, there is an 83-page chapter on aging, Alzheimer's disease, and dementia.2525 Mesulam M-M. Principles of Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford Universuty Press; 2000 Many of the neurologists who were previously dedicated to the study of neuropsychology migrated to the field of dementia, bringing with them the clinical and anatomical knowledge that has been so important to recognize or better redefine forms of degenerative dementia, such as Primary Progressive Aphasia,2626 Mesulam MM, Rogalski EJ, Wieneke C, et al. Primary progressive aphasia and the evolving neurology of the language network. Nat Rev Neurol 2014;10(10):554–569. Doi: 10.1038/nrneurol.2014.159
https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2014.15...
Behavioral Variant of Frontal Dementia,2727 Miller B, Llibre Guerra JJ. Frontotemporal dementia. Handb Clin Neurol 2019;165:33–4510.1016/B978-0-444-64012-3.00003-4
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-64012...
,2828 Grossman M, Seeley WW, Boxer AL, et al. Frontotemporal lobar degeneration. Nat Rev Dis Primers 2023;9(01):40. Doi: 10.1038/s41572-023-00447-0
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-023-00447...
or new signs for the clinical diagnosis of these conditions.2929 Nitrini R. Elementary motor perseveration in early diagnosis of progressive supranuclear palsy. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 1987;45(01): 29–32. Doi: 10.1590/s0004-282. Doi: [notdef] 1987000100004
https://doi.org/10.1590/s0004-282...
,3030 Dubois B, Slachevsky A, Pillon B, Beato R, Villalponda JM, Litvan I. “Applause sign” helps to discriminate PSP from FTD and PD. Neurology 2005;64(12):2132–2133. Doi: 10.1212/01.WNL.0000165977.38272.15
https://doi.org/10.1212/01.WNL.000016597...

ARE AD AND SENILE DEMENTIA ONLY ONE OR TWO DIFFERENT DISEASES?

This question was very difficult to answer. During several years, starting in 1907, the year when the Alzheimer's paper about August Detter was published, there had been doubts about the distinction between AD and senile dementia, as Kraepelin had already noticed in 1910.1818 Kraepelin E. Senile and Pre-Senile Dementias. In: Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:32–81, p. 77 (Translated from the 1910 German edition of Ein Lehrbuch für Studierende und Ärzte)

Many neurologists understood that there was also senile dementia, which was a degenerative dementia, but this senile dementia was considered clinically and pathologically different from AD. The most important difference was the presence of focal signs in AD, such as aphasia, agnosia, and apraxia in AD while in senile dementia memory and behavioral symptoms predominated. Of course, these clinical differences should be related to the topography of the pathological changes or to different pathological changes.3131 Delay J, Brion S. Les Démences Tardives. Paris: Masson; 1962

However, many authors have published papers arguing the pros and cons of the unitary hypothesis. Many of these papers were based on small numbers of cases. After the Second World War, a series with more than 140 cases was published, which showed that there was no reason to separate AD from senile dementia.3232 Newton RD. The identity of Alzheimer's disease and sinile dementia and their relationship to senility. J Ment Sci 1948;94(395): 225–249. Doi: 10.1192/bjp.94.395.225
https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.94.395.225...
,3333 Neumann MA, Cohn R. Incidence of Alzheimer's disease in large mental hospital; relation to senile psychosis and psychosis with cerebral arteriosclerosis. AMA Arch Neurol Psychiatry 1953;69(05): 615–636. Doi: 10.1001/archneurpsyc.1953.02320290067008
https://doi.org/10.1001/archneurpsyc.195...

The paper by Roth, Tomlinson, and Blessed (1966) was very important because they used clinical and pathological data to confirm the correlation between the number of senile plaques and dementia severity.3434 Roth M, Tomlinson BE, Blessed G. Correlation between scores for dementia and counts of 'senile plaques’ in cerebral grey matter of elderly subjects. Nature 1966;209(5018):109–110. Doi: 10.1038/209109a0
https://doi.org/10.1038/209109a0...

Two other papers were also very important. Vladimir Hachinski et al. stated that “The use of the concept calcification of the arteries of the brain to describe mental decline in the aged is probably the most common misdiagnosis in medicine.”3535 Hachinski VC, Lassen NA, Marshall J. Multi-infarct dementia. A cause of mental deterioration in the elderly. Lancet 1974;2(7874): 207–210. Doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(74)91496-2
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0140-6736(74)91...
And the paper by Robert Katzman explained that AD was not a rare presenile dementia, but it was a common and malignant disease: “a major killer.”3636 Katzman R. The prevalence and malignancy of Alzheimer disease: a major killer. Alzheimers Dement 2008;4(06):378–380. Doi: 10.1016/j.jalz.2008.10.003
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2008.10.0...

Finally, a consensus was reached and the diagnosis of “senile dementia of the Alzheimer type” was used for a few years, and then replaced by early-onset AD and late-onset AD.

The expansion of the concept of AD to include senile dementia together with the progressive aging of the population made AD leave the backstage to become one of the most frequent diseases of our time.

OSKAR FISCHER AND A CRITICAL COMMENT

Considering that the pathological changes described by A. Alzheimer are now accepted as the cause of both early-onset and late-onset AD (previously known as senile dementia) it is relevant to discuss a paper by Oskar Fischer (1876-1942). In 1907, the same year that A. Alzheimer published his paper describing Auguste Deter's case, Oskar Fischer, who worked in the German School of Prague,3737 Goedert M. Oskar Fischer and the study of dementia. Brain 2009; 132(Pt 4(:1102–1111. Doi: 10.1093/brain/awn256
https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awn256...
,3838 Amaducci LA, Rocca WA, Schoenberg BS. Origin of the distinction between Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia: how history can clarify nosology. Neurology 1986;36(11):1497–1499. Doi: 10.1212/wnl.36.11.1497
https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.36.11.1497...
published an impressive paper where he described the neuropathological changes he had found in cases of senile dementia.3939 Fischer O. Miliary necrosis with nodular proliferation of the neurofibrils, a common change of the cerebral cortex in senile dementia. Monatsschrift für Psychiatrie und Neurologie. 2007;22:361-372. In Bick K, Amaducci L, Pepeu G, eds. The Early Story of Alzheimer's Disease. Padova: Liviana Press; 1987:5–18 Using several staining methods, which included the Bielschowski stain, Oskar Fischer described the claviform proliferation of neurofibrils and senile plaques (which he firstly called “miliary necrosis”, a name that Fischer informed had been given by Redlich when studying the brain of two cases of senile dementia); at the end of the paper, Fischer preferred to name glandular necrosis than miliary necrosis. After finding these changes in one case of senile dementia (which was then also called presbyophrenia) he studied the brains of 16 cases of senile dementia and found abundant miliary necrosis in 12 cases with severe dementia symptoms, while miliary necrosis was not present in 4 cases with mild symptoms. After that, he studied 65 brains (45 with GPI; 10 with various non-organic psychosis, and 10 with normal brains) and did not find these changes. He also studied 7 cases of cerebral atrophy due to lacunar softening and in only one case there was an isolated focus of miliary necrosis that was identical to those described in senile dementia. His conclusions were:

  • “In senile dementia there occur very peculiar claviform proliferations in the neurofibrils, which, in this form, have so far been unknown in the brain”;

  • “In 'glandular necrosis' we find the most important anatomical substrate of presbyophrenia”.

Would it be reasonable to include Fischer in the eponym of AD? Alzheimer-Fischer's disease or even Fischer-Alzheimer's disease? History and eponyms are not as fair as we would like them to be.3737 Goedert M. Oskar Fischer and the study of dementia. Brain 2009; 132(Pt 4(:1102–1111. Doi: 10.1093/brain/awn256
https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awn256...
,3838 Amaducci LA, Rocca WA, Schoenberg BS. Origin of the distinction between Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia: how history can clarify nosology. Neurology 1986;36(11):1497–1499. Doi: 10.1212/wnl.36.11.1497
https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.36.11.1497...
However, for these two men, the due recognition of their contribution would be very important. While A. Alzheimer was indicated to be a Full Professor in Breslau, then one important Prussian city (which he certainly deserved for all his contributions to neuropsychiatry and neuropathology), Oskar Fischer died in a concentration camp in 1942.3737 Goedert M. Oskar Fischer and the study of dementia. Brain 2009; 132(Pt 4(:1102–1111. Doi: 10.1093/brain/awn256
https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awn256...

IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES

At the beginning of the 1980s, we believed that everything would be resolved if we knew what is the dense substance that was contained in the core of the senile plaque. And, also, what are the constituents of the neurofibrillary tangles?

In a few years in the 1980's several important discoveries happened. From 1983 several authors participated in a global effort to identify the constituents of the dense structure of the plaques. Here I will cite only a few of them. A protein of the senile plaque core was isolated and its amino acid composition was identified (Allsop et al., 1983).4040 Allsop D, Landon M, Kidd M. The isolation and amino acid composition of senile plaque core protein. Brain Res 1983;259 (02):348–352. Doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(83)91273-8
https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-8993(83)912...
An amyloid protein was identified in the congophilic angiopathy of AD and named βamyloid (Glenner & Wong, 1984).4141 Glenner GG, Wong CW. Alzheimer's disease: initial report of the purification and characterization of a novel cerebrovascular amyloid protein. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1984;120(03): 885–890. Doi: 10.1016/s0006-291x(84)80190-4
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0006-291x(84)80...
This protein was then identified in the congophilic angiopathy in Down syndrome, which caused the almost profectally phrase: “Assuming the beta protein is a human gene product, it also suggests that the genetic defect in Alzheimer's disease is localized on chromosome 21”(Glenner & Wong, 1984).4242 Glenner GG, Wong CW. Alzheimer's disease and Down'ssyndrome: sharing of a unique cerebrovascular amyloid fibril protein. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1984;122(03):1131–1135. Doi: 10.1016/0006-291x(84)91209-9
https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-291x(84)912...
The presence of βamyloid peptide in plaques of AD and Down syndrome was confirmed (Masters et al., 1985).4343 Masters CL, Simms G, Weinman NA, Multhaup G, McDonald BL, Beyreuther K. Amyloid plaque core protein in Alzheimer disease and Down syndrome. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1985;82(12): 4245–4249. Doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.12.4245. PMID: 3159021; PMCID: PMC397973.Allsop et al., 1983
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.82.12.4245...
Three years later, the amyloid precursor protein (APP) was identified on chromosome 21 (St George-Hyslop et al., 1987)4444 St George-Hyslop PH, Tanzi RE, Polinsky RJ, et al. The genetic defect causing familial Alzheimer's disease maps on chromosome 21. Science 1987;235(4791):885–890. Doi: 10.1126/science.2880399
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.2880399...
One year earlier, tau protein had been identified in neurofibrillary tangles in AD (Grundke-Iqbal et al., 1986)4545 Grundke-Iqbal I, Iqbal K, Quinlan M, Tung YC, Zaidi MS, Wisniewski HM. Microtubule-associated protein tau. A component of Alzheimer paired helical filaments. J Biol Chem 1986;261(13): 6084–6089 and in the same year it was recognized that tau protein was abnormally phosphorylated in AD (Grundke-Iqbal et al., 1986).4646 Grundke-Iqbal I, Iqbal K, Tung YC, Quinlan M, Wisniewski HM, Binder LI. Abnormal phosphorylation of the microtubule-associated protein tau (tau) in Alzheimer cytoskeletal pathology. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1986;83(13):4913–4917. Doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.13.4913
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.83.13.4913...

Since the 1970's there has been an almost continuous discussion about which was the most important cause of the symptoms of AD: the neuritic plaque or the neurofibrillary tangle. After these discoveries these researchers were classified as Tauists or βaptists according to the side they support. Genetics was a strong support for the βaptists whereas neuropathology, in which there was a sound clinic-pathological relationship with neurofibrillary tangles, gave strength to the tauists. I had the opportunity to read and also to attend vibrant discussions between the two groups in congresses. Among important leaders of these groups, there were Robert D. Terry (1924-2017)4747 Terry RD, Davies P. Dementia of the Alzheimer type. Annu Rev Neurosci 1980;3:77–95. Doi: 10.1146/annurev.ne.03.030180.000453
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ne.03.03...
a neuropathologist for the tauists, and Dennis J. Selkoe (1943-)4848 Selkoe DJ. Aging, amyloid, and Alzheimer's disease. N Engl J Med 1989;320(22):1484–1487. Doi: 10.1056/NEJM198906013202209
https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM198906013202...
a neurologist with a deep interest in biochemistry for the βaptists. At that time it was difficult to adopt a neutral position.4949 de Paula VJR, Guimarães FM, Diniz BS, Forlenza OV. Neurobiological pathways to Alzheimer's disease: Amyloid-beta, TAU protein or both? Dement Neuropsychol 2009;3(03):188–194. Doi: 10.1590/S1980-57642009DN30300003
https://doi.org/10.1590/S1980-57642009DN...

In 1992, Hardy and Higgins proposed the Amyloid Cascade Hypothesis that since then has been the strongest theory for the cause of AD.5050 Hardy JA, Higgins GA. Alzheimer's disease: the amyloid cascade hypothesis. Science 1992;256(5054):184–185. Doi: 10.1126/science.1566067
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1566067...
According to this theory, AD is mainly caused by the toxic actions and deposition of the beta-amyloid peptide with 42 amino acids, which is predominantly formed and/or not properly eliminated from the brain in AD. The hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins and the formation of NFT are considered downstream phenomena caused by the depositions of the beta-amyloid peptide, through still unknown pathophysiology,

This brings us to the present times with its theories, and views for the future, to be presented in part 2.

Acknowledgements

Thanks for Professors Eliasz Engelhardt and Marleide Mota Gomes for their support on finding historical papers.

  • ERRATUM

    In the article "The past, present and future of Alzheimer's disease - part 1: the past," with DOI code number https://doi.org/10.1055/s-0043-1777722, published in the Arq Neuropsiquiatr. 2023 Dec;81(12):1070–1076:
    In the Table 1, in row number 4
    Years (period of 5 years) Alzheimer's disease Dementia
    1972–1976 131 1,681
    1977–1981 484 2,642
    1982–1986 2,424 5,364
    1986–1991 6,822 11,865
    1992–1996 9,795 15,016
    1997–2001 14,876 20,720
    2002–2006 20,698 27,664
    2007–2011 28,254 36,097
    2012–2016 41,403 50,537
    2017–2021 58,625 73,315
    It should be:
    Years (period of 5 years) Alzheimer's disease Dementia
    1972–1976 131 1,681
    1977–1981 484 2,642
    1982–1986 2,424 5,364
    1987–1991 6,005 10,348
    1992–1996 9,795 15,016
    1997–2001 14,876 20,720
    2002–2006 20,698 27,664
    2007–2011 28,254 36,097
    2012–2016 41,403 50,537
    2017–2021 58,625 73,315

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    de Paula VJR, Guimarães FM, Diniz BS, Forlenza OV. Neurobiological pathways to Alzheimer's disease: Amyloid-beta, TAU protein or both? Dement Neuropsychol 2009;3(03):188–194. Doi: 10.1590/S1980-57642009DN30300003
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Publication Dates

  • Publication in this collection
    15 Jan 2024
  • Date of issue
    Dec 2023

History

  • Received
    10 Oct 2023
  • Accepted
    21 Nov 2023
  • Corrected
    13 Mar 2024
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