«Navegando en la oscuridad»: Iris Murdoch y la enfermedad de Alzheimer

The increase in life expectancy and in elderly population has resulted in a high incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The aim of this article is to discuss the interdisciplinarity of the study of AD, as it has crossed boundaries from the biomedical science to include other fields, such as literature. We will refer to the British writer Iris Murdoch as an Alzheimer’s patient. In addition, we will highlight the value of narrative in the representation and analysis of the disease. To conclude, we will focus on the question of memory and loss in the texts of this writer.El aumento de la esperanza de vida y de la población anciana ha derivado en una alta incidencia de la enfermedad de Alzheimer (EA). El objetivo del presente artículo es reflexionar sobre la interdisciplinaridad del estudio de la EA, cuyo interés ha traspasado del ámbito biomédico a otras disciplinas, como la literatura. Nos centraremos en el caso de la escritora británica Iris Murdoch como enferma de Alzheimer. Así mismo resaltamos el valor de la narrativa en la representación y en el análisis de la enfermedad. Para concluir, nos centraremos en el tema de la memoria en los textos de la escritora.The increase in life expectancy and in elderly population has resulted in a high incidence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The aim of this article is to discuss the interdisciplinarity of the study of AD, as it has crossed boundaries from the biomedical science to include other fields, such as literature. We will refer to the British writer Iris Murdoch as an Alzheimer’s patient. In addition, we will highlight the value of narrative in the representation and analysis of the disease. To conclude, we will focus on the question of memory and loss in the texts of this writer