Alzheimer's disease

noun

Alz·​hei·​mer's disease ˈälts-ˌhī-mərz- How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio) ˈalts- How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio) ˈȯlts- How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio)
variants or less commonly Alzheimer disease
ˈälts-ˌhī-mər- How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio)
ˈalts-,
ˈȯlts-
or Alzheimer's
: 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 diseaseC. 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

Examples of Alzheimer's disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In 2021, Girardi was diagnosed with dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's disease and disbarred. Emily Palmer, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2023 In March 2021, he was diagnosed with dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's disease and was later moved into an assisted living home. Lynsey Eidell, Peoplemag, 23 Aug. 2023 Here's a quick look at the seven stages of Alzheimer's disease progression. Mark Gurarie, Health, 19 Aug. 2023 In addition to Alzheimer's disease, delta 8 has shown potential in managing symptoms associated with other neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis and epilepsy. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 16 Aug. 2023 Five months before his arrest, Rothman had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Jessica Wapner, Scientific American, 15 Aug. 2023 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that there are 5.8 million Americans living with Alzheimer's disease, the most common form of dementia. Gabrielle M. Etzel, Washington Examiner, 14 Aug. 2023 Nearly 188,000 dementia cases in the U.S. each year may have been caused by air pollution, researchers estimate, with bad air quality from wildfires and agriculture showing the strongest links to a person's risk of Alzheimer's disease and other kinds of dementia later in life. Alexander Tin, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2023 It was later discovered the actor had Lewy body dementia, the second-most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's disease. Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 13 Aug. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Alzheimer's disease.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Alois Alzheimer †1915 German physician

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Alzheimer's disease was in 1911

Dictionary Entries Near 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 4 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

Alzheimer's disease

noun
Alz·​hei·​mer's disease ˈälts-ˌhī-mərz How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio) ˈalts- How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio)
: a brain disease of later life that is characterized by changes in brain tissue with gradual loss of memory and mental abilities

called also Alzheimer's

Medical Definition

Alzheimer's disease

noun
Alz·​hei·​mer's disease ˈälts-ˌhī-mərz- How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio) ˈȯlts- How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio) ˈalts- How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio) ˈalz- How to pronounce Alzheimer's disease (audio)
variants also Alzheimer disease or Alzheimer's
: 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
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
… 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
abbreviation AD

More from Merriam-Webster on Alzheimer's disease

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