Alzheimer's Disease: History, Theory, and Treatment

History of Alzheimer's Disease Research

The disease first described and defined in 1906 by Alois Alzheimer and named after him in 1910 has led to tremendous breakthroughs in brain and neurological research, according to the Alzheimer's Association (2018). Alzheimer, a German physician, analyzed the brains of patients with the characteristic symptoms of the disease — including profound and debilitating memory loss — noticing "shrinkage" as well as "abnormal deposits in and around nerve cells" (Alzheimer's Association, 2018, p. 1). Alzheimer also described the amyloid plaques now known to be linked to the symptoms of the disease, as well as neurofibrillary tangles (National Institute on Aging, 2018). Since Alzheimer's early discoveries, subsequent researchers in psychiatry and neurobiology have relied on increasingly sophisticated methods of studying the structure of the human brain.

Technology as well as human expertise has been instrumental in evolving research into the causes and treatments for Alzheimer's disease. In addition to the development of specialized microscopes and other brain imaging technologies, researchers have also developed more reliable and valid means of assessing patient symptoms through approaches such as neurochemistry and behavioral science (McGraw-Hill, 2013). For example, during the 1980s, scientific research offered a greater understanding of the role of proteins in cellular degeneration, leading to the development of the first drug ever marketed to treat the symptoms of the disease (Alzheimer's Association, 2018). Also during the 1980s, a genetic component to Alzheimer's was first discovered (Alzheimer's Association, 2018). Brain imaging technologies have also revealed that the region of the brain most significantly impacted by the disease is the hippocampus, from which the disease then spreads (National Institute on Aging, 2018). While there is still no known cure for Alzheimer's disease, research continues to evolve, permitting improved methods of treating early signs of the disease such as cognitive impairment and dementia.

Increased awareness of Alzheimer's disease has also fostered greater funding into research and the development of potential treatments. During the 1990s, President Reagan's diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease helped to further increase public awareness of the signs and symptoms (Alzheimer's Association, 2018). In 1999, a vaccine for Alzheimer's was tested on mice with successful results (Alzheimer's Association, 2018). Although the vaccine did not yield promising results in human populations, research of this kind offers hope that a cure may one day be possible.

Early Detection and Diagnostic Advances

Positron emission tomography (PET) scan technologies are helpful in the early detection of Alzheimer's disease. In 2004, scientists revealed that Pittsburgh Compound B (PIB) attaches itself to the beta-amyloid deposits implicated in the tangled fibers in the brain. Physicians can therefore use PIB and PET scans for early detection of the disease. In 2009, several other biomarkers were discovered in the cerebrospinal fluid (Alzheimer's Association, 2018). Genetic research, research into the immune system response, research into the systems involved in brain inflammation, and research into the various interactions between different neurotransmitters have all contributed to an improved understanding of the cause and progression of the disease.