The Meanings of Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease emerged around the 1900s as a rare disease that became synonymous with common dementia by the 1980s. In the 2010s, in vivo biomarkers of Alzheimer’s pathophysiology then led researchers to emphasize the presymptomatic biology of Alzheimer’s biomarkers, thus decentering dementia....

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Main Author: Timothy Daly
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University Library System, University of Pittsburgh 2025-05-01
Series:Philosophy of Medicine
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Online Access:http://philmed.pitt.edu/philmed/article/view/251
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author Timothy Daly
author_facet Timothy Daly
author_sort Timothy Daly
collection DOAJ
description Alzheimer’s disease emerged around the 1900s as a rare disease that became synonymous with common dementia by the 1980s. In the 2010s, in vivo biomarkers of Alzheimer’s pathophysiology then led researchers to emphasize the presymptomatic biology of Alzheimer’s biomarkers, thus decentering dementia. Three consensus definitions were elaborated around biomarkers, and were rearticulated in 2024: biomarker-determined Alzheimer’s disease; biomarker-informed “clinical-biological” Alzheimer’s disease; and biomarker-independent, “all-cause” dementia. I consider their differences to hinge on the questionable legitimacy of the Alzheimer “biomarkerization” of aging. I encourage a focus on the actionable concept of brain health beyond Alzheimer’s to motivate equitable health promotion.
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spelling doaj-art-2f8c60c291b7411da9b37cb1289c2f332025-08-20T03:52:52ZengUniversity Library System, University of PittsburghPhilosophy of Medicine2692-39632025-05-016110.5195/pom.2025.251The Meanings of Alzheimer’s DiseaseTimothy Daly0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1650-242XUMR 1219 (Bordeaux Population Health), University of Bordeaux & INSERM, Bordeaux, France; UMR 5164 (ImmunoConcept), University of Bordeaux & CNRS, Bordeaux, France; Bioethics Program, FLACSO Argentina, Buenos Aires, Argentina Alzheimer’s disease emerged around the 1900s as a rare disease that became synonymous with common dementia by the 1980s. In the 2010s, in vivo biomarkers of Alzheimer’s pathophysiology then led researchers to emphasize the presymptomatic biology of Alzheimer’s biomarkers, thus decentering dementia. Three consensus definitions were elaborated around biomarkers, and were rearticulated in 2024: biomarker-determined Alzheimer’s disease; biomarker-informed “clinical-biological” Alzheimer’s disease; and biomarker-independent, “all-cause” dementia. I consider their differences to hinge on the questionable legitimacy of the Alzheimer “biomarkerization” of aging. I encourage a focus on the actionable concept of brain health beyond Alzheimer’s to motivate equitable health promotion. http://philmed.pitt.edu/philmed/article/view/251Alzheimer's diseaseConcepts of health and diseasePublic health
spellingShingle Timothy Daly
The Meanings of Alzheimer’s Disease
Philosophy of Medicine
Alzheimer's disease
Concepts of health and disease
Public health
title The Meanings of Alzheimer’s Disease
title_full The Meanings of Alzheimer’s Disease
title_fullStr The Meanings of Alzheimer’s Disease
title_full_unstemmed The Meanings of Alzheimer’s Disease
title_short The Meanings of Alzheimer’s Disease
title_sort meanings of alzheimer s disease
topic Alzheimer's disease
Concepts of health and disease
Public health
url http://philmed.pitt.edu/philmed/article/view/251
work_keys_str_mv AT timothydaly themeaningsofalzheimersdisease
AT timothydaly meaningsofalzheimersdisease