Macroscopic and microscopic diagnosis in Alzheimer’s disease

T. I. , D. B. Iliescu, A. Knieling, S. I. D. , L. Rîșcanu,

Abstract: Since its association with the name of the German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer, Alzheimer’s disease has been considered specific to individuals with progressive cognitive disorders, hallucinations, degradation of social personality. The medical aspects of the disease have directly interested specialties such as neurology and neurosurgery, social services, etc. across the years. The low medico-legal interest of Alzheimer’s as potential cause of death is confirmed by the low number of references in scientific literature. Pursuant to a study on 2566 individuals, after autopsy, Bryan James found that 90% of the deaths had been caused by Alzheimer’s. The material includes databases with scientific works focused on Alzheimer’s, as well as medico-legal aspects of this disease. The method is a summary of literature. Elements specific to Alzheimer’s death, as well as macroscopic and microscopic aspects have been identified. Alzheimer’s has a low number of references in scientific literature as representing a cause of death. The medico-legal projection of this disease as cause of death is also underrepresented. However, medico-legal interes should also focus on these issues, as potential causes of death.
Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, medico-legal context, macroscopic aspects, microscopic aspects.