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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Alzheimer's disease

Scientists can use it to investigate how disruptions in lipid distribution might contribute to brain development, aging, and disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and depression.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 13, 2026

This approach could be particularly valuable for Alzheimer's disease, which involves numerous interacting biological processes that are difficult to study individually.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026

The manuscript belongs to Barr’s wife, Dava, who now has Alzheimer’s disease and lives in a care facility.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

Brain changes precede Alzheimer’s disease by years, but without a baseline, there is nothing to compare those changes against.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 5, 2026

She was just beginning her long struggle with Alzheimer's disease, and each time I entered the room, I felt the need to reintroduce myself and set her at ease.

From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris

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