In 1906 the German doctor Aloysius "Alois" Alzheimer described a process of molecular deterioration that had never been observed before. In 1910 Emil Kraepelin, in the eighth edition of his psychiatry handbook, coined the expression "Alzheimerische Krankheit", thus naming a pathology bound for fame. But what had Alzheimer actually witnessed? Was it really a disease? This book tracks the advance of research on Alzheimer's Disease, from the first clinical case to its current international definition. Historical analysis shows that the European scientific community at the dawn of the 20th century was already familiar with many of the issues that continue to this day to guide medical research.

Matteo Borri conducts research at the University of Geneva and teaches at "La Sapienza" University in Rome.