The most important dementia scientist you’ve probably never heard of
By: Communications
Alzheimer’s disease affects millions around the world, but it could just as well be called ‘Fischer’s Disease’ – according to a dementia expert at the University of East Anglia.
The condition is widely accepted as having been discovered by the German psychiatrist Dr Alois Alzheimer.
But there was another scientist, Dr Oskar Fischer, who was just as important to the discovery.
A new book by neuroscientist Prof Michael Hornberger, published today, delves into the history and science of the disease – from its origins to modern diagnosis and treatment.
It highlights the pioneering work of Dr Alzheimer and also that of Dr Fischer - a largely overlooked psychiatrist whose research laid the foundation for understanding the condition.
Prof Michael Hornberger, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Everyone has heard of Alzheimer’s disease. It is the most common form of dementia and affects millions round the world.
“But when you look into the history of the disease, it was actually a researched and described by both Alois Alzheimer and Oskar Fischer.
“These two scientists were working independently of each other at the same point in history.
“Alzheimer’s disease could have easily been called Fischer’s disease or Alzheimer-Fischer disease because Dr Oskar Fischer published several cases of senile dementia at the same time as Alzheimer in 1907.
“The contemporaries both used newly invented microscopy to identify changes in the brain tissue of people with senile dementia, who had died.
“By 1910, Fischer had published a 100-page long scientific article documenting the microscopic changes in brain tissue now associated with the disease – far outweighing Alzheimer’s observations and publications on the topic.
“But despite his critical contributions, Fischer’s work became overshadowed by Alzheimer’s.
“By rights, both Fischer and Alzheimer should both be credited with the first description of the disease,” he added.
Tangled Up
‘Tangled Up: The History and Science of Alzheimer's Disease’ by Prof Michael Hornberger investigates the history and science of what we now know as Alzheimer’s disease.
With vivid examples, it provides a whistle-stop tour of every aspect of Alzheimer's disease, from its origins to modern diagnosis and treatment.
The tragedy of Fischer’s life lies not just in the fact that his scientific findings were overlooked, but that much of his working life proved to be a struggle.
Prof Hornberger said: “In 1919, Fischer was denied tenure at the German university of Prague, which was surprising given that he had published significant scientific findings.
“And his fate took an even darker turn in 1941 when he was arrested by the Gestapo and imprisoned at Theresienstadt - a ghetto and transit camp for Czech Jews being deported to concentration camps.
“Fischer’s brilliant life came to a brutal end when he died at Theresienstadt in 1942, aged 65.
“His seminal contributions to ‘Alzheimer’s disease’ have been largely overlooked. It should carry his name as well.”
Elsewhere in his ground-breaking book, Prof Hornberger explains everything from the causes of Alzheimer’s disease to the role of genetics, the chances you will inherit it from your parents and the practical steps you can take to reduce your risk.
He said: “Alzheimer’s accounts for around 70 per cent of all people with dementia and its incidence is growing. I wanted to write this book to explain the history but also the science underlying this devastating disease.”
Patient zero
In his book, Prof Hornberger delves into Alzheimer’s disease by looking at the very first documented patient, Auguste Deter, who received a diagnosis of ‘Alzheimer’s disease’.
Mrs Deter was interviewed by the German doctor - and while she could remember her wedding, she could not recall her husband's name or where they lived.
From that first case, Prof Hornberger explores how our memory is affected by Alzheimer’s disease, explaining why often older memories stay intact while newer memories are not formed.
He then reveals how the changes in the brain explain those memory symptoms and how the disease progresses.
The book explains how the new Alzheimer treatments work and whether in the future a simple blood test might be sufficient to get a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Finally, the book explores the rarer forms of Alzheimer’s disease, which are lesser known but as important and highlight that not everyone has ‘classic’ Alzheimer’s disease.
‘Tangled Up: The History and Science of Alzheimer's Disease’ is published by Canbury Press.
Michael Hornberger is Professor of Applied Dementia Research at the University of East Anglia in the UK. He regularly meets people with Alzheimer’s disease as part of his research aimed at improving diagnosis, disease tracking and symptom management.
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