The markers of the new disease
All the markers that Alzheimer reported were well known at the time, and it is clear from his writings that he never meant to say that they were new. For example, it was the prevalent view before 1906 that in senile dementia "the destruction of the neurofibrillae appears to be more extensive than in the brain of a paralytic subject". Indeed, five months before Alzheimer's report, the American worker Fuller – whose contribution to this field has been neglected – had drawn attention to the presence of "neurofibrillar bundles in senile dementia".

Nor was the association between plaques and dementia a novelty, as it had been reported in 1887 by Beljahow, and confirmed by Redlich and Leri a few years later. Oskar Fischer, the neglected researcher from Prague, had also pointed out, in June 1907, that 'miliary necrosis' should be considered as a marker of senile dementia.

Remarque: On peut noter que Fuller était un "visiting student" chez Aloïs Alzheimer, et on a du mal à croire que ce Fuller aurait fait une contribution importante avant Alois, alors qu'il était son invité.

Solomon Carter Fuller, M.D. (1872-1953): American pioneer in Alzheimer's disease research.

Kaplan M, Henderson AR.

Department of Gerontology, University of South Florida, 4202 E. Fowler Avenue, SOC 107, Tampa, Florida 33647, USA. mkaplan@luna.cas.usf.edu

The appointment of Alois Alzheimer to Emil Kraepelin's clinic and laboratory at the Royal Psychiatric Hospital, University of Munich in 1903 offered new opportunities for clinical and pathological studies of the brain. At the opening of the facility in 1904, Alzheimer selected five foreign visiting students as his graduate research assistants, among whom was an American, Dr. Solomon Carter Fuller. A glimpse of Fuller's background as an African-American (born in Liberia) at the turn of the century, his continuing research after leaving Germany in 1906, and his critical view of the Alzheimer dementia entity are recounted. He was held in high esteem as a practicing neuropsychiatrist and teacher in the Boston area.