A History of Alzheimer's Disease Progressive mental
deterioration in old age has been recognized and described
throughout history. However, it was not until 1906 that a German
physician, Dr. Alois Alzheimer, specifically identified a
collection of brain cell abnormalities as a disease. One of Dr.
Alzheimer's patients died after years of severe memory problems,
confusion and difficulty understanding questions. Upon her
death, while performing a brain autopsy, the doctor noted dense
deposits surrounding the nerve cells (neuritic plaques). Inside
the nerve cells he observed twisted bands of fibers
(neurofibrillary tangles). Today, this degenerative brain
disorder bears his name, and when found during an autopsy, these
plaques and tangles mean a definite diagnosis of Alzheimer's
disease (AD). Since its discovery more than 100 years ago, there
have been many scientific breakthroughs in AD research. In the
1960s, scientists discovered a link between cognitive decline
and the number of plaques and tangles in the bra