Alzheimer's disease

American  

[ahlts-hahy-merz, alts-, awlts-] / ˈɑlts haɪ mərz, ˈælts-, ˈɔlts- /

Or Alzheimer disease

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.

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Alzheimer's disease British  

/ ˈæltsˌhaɪməz /

noun

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

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Alzheimer's disease Scientific  

/ 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).

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Alzheimer's disease Cultural  

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

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Discover More

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

Etymology

Origin of Alzheimer's disease

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

Example Sentences

Researchers identified evidence that a protein and sugar-tagging pathway is excessively active in Alzheimer's disease.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

Ali praised Dosanjh's ability to bring warmth and restraint to emotionally complex scenes, particularly opposite Shah's character who struggles with Alzheimer's disease.

From Barron's • Jun. 10, 2026

Using both human brain tissue and mouse models of Alzheimer's disease, the ETH Zurich team uncovered evidence that GRK2 may be a major contributor to dementia.

From Science Daily • Jun. 8, 2026

Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of dementia, and the Alzheimer's Society said it is a common misconception to question whether dementia is a normal part of ageing.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

I can’t help letting my mind wander to the implications of Alzheimer’s disease for the theory of an immortal soul.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich