Alzheimer's disease

or Alz·hei·mer disease

[ ahlts-hahy-merz, alts-, awlts- ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a common form of dementia, believed to be caused by changes in the brain, usually beginning in late middle age, characterized by memory lapses, confusion, emotional instability, and progressive loss of mental ability.

Alzheimer's disease

/ ˈæltsˌhaɪməz /

noun

1. a disorder of the brain resulting in a progressive decline in intellectual and physical abilities and eventual dementia Often shortened toAlzheimer's

Alzheimer's disease

/ äls′hī-mərz /

1. A progressive, degenerative disease of the brain, commonly affecting the elderly, and associated with the development of amyloid plaques in the cerebral cortex. It is characterized by confusion, disorientation, memory failure, speech disturbances, and eventual dementia. The cause is unknown. Alzheimer's disease is named for its identifier, German psychiatrist Alois Alzheimer (1864–1915).

Alzheimer's disease

1. A disease in which mental capacity decreases because of the breakdown of brain cells .

Notes

Alzheimer's disease is a major cause of loss of intellectual function in middle-aged and elderly people.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Alzheimer's disease¹

Named after Alois Alzheimer (1864–1915), German neurologist, who described it in 1907

Word History and Origins

Origin of Alzheimer's disease¹

C20: named after A. Alzheimer (1864–1915), German physician who first identified it

Example Sentences

An 80-something patient came in for an annual visit recently and was worried that recent memory lapses might be symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

From Los Angeles Times

There is a sense of urgency in the medical community to classify a positive biomarker test as “Stage One Alzheimer’s Disease.”

From Los Angeles Times

For now, the biomarker test should be taken only if you are truly showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease.

From Los Angeles Times

Prevention trials and improved predictive biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease will change that, but we’re not there yet.

From Los Angeles Times

The more people followed environmentally sustainable diets that emphasized nutrients from plants, the lower their risk of death from cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and a variety of other causes, a new study finds.

From Los Angeles Times