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

In the new study, KCL-286 repaired damaged DNA and reduced inflammation in mice with Alzheimer's disease.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

The inquest was told expert analysis of Stiles' brain showed his severe dementia was as a result of Alzheimer's disease but also CTE.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2026

More than two-thirds of Americans worry about their brain health and about developing Alzheimer’s disease or other types of dementia.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026

The heroic pilot who safely ditched a stricken airliner in a New York City river in 2009 has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease.

From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026

I sit at a computer and look up everything I can find about Alzheimer’s disease.

From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina