Alzheimer's disease

noun

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Alz·hei·mer's disease | \ ˈälts-ˌhī-mərz-

How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio)

, ˈalts-

, ˈȯlts-

variants: or less commonly Alzheimer disease \ ˈälts-ˌhī-mər-

, ˈalts- , ˈȯlts- \ or Alzheimer's

Definition of Alzheimer's disease

: a degenerative brain disease of unknown cause that is the most common form of dementia, that usually starts in late middle age or in old age, that results in progressive memory loss, impaired thinking, disorientation, and changes in personality and mood, and that is marked histologically by the degeneration of brain neurons especially in the cerebral cortex and by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles and plaques containing beta-amyloid Behavioral problems, such as mood swings and agitation, may also be a part of the progression of Alzheimer's disease.— Allan Perel … the ability to differentiate normal aging-related memory changes from the impairments associated with dementia, including Alzheimer disease …— C. Munro Cullum … researchers in California have created mice carrying the gene for beta-amyloid protein, the principal component of the plaques riddling the brains of people with Alzheimer's.— Charlene Crabb

Note: Alzheimer's is often used before another noun.

Alzheimer's patients —abbreviation AD

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Alzheimer's disease

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Statistics for Alzheimer's disease

Cite this Entry

“Alzheimer's disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Alzheimer%27s%20disease. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.

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More Definitions for Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease

noun

English Language Learners Definition of Alzheimer's disease

: a disease of the brain that causes people to slowly lose their memory and mental abilities as they grow old

See the full definition for Alzheimer's disease in the English Language Learners Dictionary

Alzheimer's disease

noun

Alz·hei·mer's disease | \ ˈälts-ˌhī-mərz-

, ˈȯlts-

, ˈalts-

, ˈalz-

variants: also Alzheimer disease \ -mər

\ or Alzheimer's

Medical Definition of Alzheimer's disease

: a degenerative brain disease of unknown cause that is the most common form of dementia, that usually starts in late middle age or in old age, that results in progressive memory loss, impaired thinking, disorientation, and changes in personality and mood, that leads in advanced cases to a profound decline in cognitive and physical functioning, and that is marked histologically by the degeneration of brain neurons especially in the cerebral cortex and by the presence of neurofibrillary tangles and plaques containing beta-amyloid Behavioral problems, such as mood swings and agitation, may also be a part of the progression of Alzheimer's disease.— Allan Perel, The Staten Island (New York) Advance, 12 Nov. 2007 Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, affecting more than 15 million individuals worldwide.— Niklas Mattsson et al., The Journal of the American Medical Association, 22 July 2009 … researchers in California have created mice carrying the gene for beta-amyloid protein, the principal component of the plaques riddling the brains of people with Alzheimer's.— Charlene Crabb, U.S. News & World Report, 4 Nov. 1991 —abbreviation AD