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

See Examples For:

Alzheimer's disease

Developing Alzheimer’s disease was associated with the largest increase in switching to traditional Medicare.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 2, 2026

Then two years ago, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

From BBC ● Aug. 31, 2026

More than 220,000 people in Belgium are affected by Alzheimer's disease.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 29, 2026

The Food and Drug Administration cleared a blood test for identifying Alzheimer’s disease symptoms, which was developed by Roche and Eli Lilly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026

“Because he has something called Alzheimer’s disease, Merci,” he says.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina