Alzheimer's disease

noun

Alz·​hei·​mer's disease ˈälts-ˌhī-mərz-  ˈalts-  ˈȯlts- 

variants or less commonly Alzheimer disease

ˈälts-ˌhī-mər- 

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 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

Examples of Alzheimer's disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Lord suffered from Alzheimer's disease for at least seven years before his death. —Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 21 June 2025

Sadeghi said that his company's report on schizophrenia risk for embryos noted that the condition is linked to both bipolar disorder, as well as intelligence, and that ADHD, OCD, Alzheimer's disease and autism were also linked to intelligence. —Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 June 2025

Phyllis Ferrell, DrPH, MBA, expert in Alzheimer's disease on what business leaders should do now to impact their brains and bottom line. —Phyllis Ferrell, Forbes.com, 17 June 2025

The Mediterranean diet mimics cuisines from countries on the Mediterranean Sea and helps lower the risk of heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, and certain types of cancer. —Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 9 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Alois Alzheimer †1915 German physician

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for Alzheimer's disease

• ferromanganese
• mephistopheles
• ostracods
• abcs
• absentees
• addressees
• adoptees
• allottees
• amputees
• antifreeze
• appellees
• appointees

Kids Definition

Alzheimer's disease

noun

Alz·​hei·​mer's disease ˈälts-ˌhī-mərz  ˈalts- 

: 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-  ˈȯlts-  ˈalts-  ˈalz- 

variants also Alzheimer disease

-mər 

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