The contribution of Gaetano Perusini to the definition of Alzheimer's disease

Abstract

This paper seeks to examine Perusini's scientific contribution to Alzheimer's disease, on the basis of critical reading of the three fundamental papers he produced between 1906 and 1911, and published between 1909 and 1911. The examination of three publications clearly shows that, after Alzheimer's concise clinical report of 3 November 1906, Perusini was responsible for more clearly defining its clinical and histopatological characteristics without ever claiming be the discoverer of the new disease. The paper also describes Alzheimer's express wish to entrust the investigation of the disease to Perusini, and the brilliant manner in which this was achivied. The on-going debate on the difference between senile and presenile dementia, which was originally raised by Kraepelin's distinction of the two forms, is also discussed. © Springer-Verlag 1998.