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

Better cytokine activity suggests a healthier immune response, which is particularly relevant in conditions like Alzheimer's disease, which research has associated with systemic inflammation. —Carrie Solomon, Discover Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024

In a viral TikTok video shared by creator Molly Bell Deaton in January, her mother, 65-year-old Patti Bell — who suffers from stage 6 Alzheimer's disease — reacts happily after her daughter tells her just how long she's been married to her husband. —Charlotte Phillipp, Peoplemag, 24 Mar. 2024

AGEs have been linked to inflammation and degenerative diseases including diabetes, Alzheimer's disease, and cardiovascular disease. —Anne Harding, Health, 9 Feb. 2024

In the new documentary Remembering Gene Wilder, Karen Boyer, who was married to the Young Frankenstein star from 1991 until his death at 83 in 2016, shares her experience with Wilder in the years between his diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease and his final days. —Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 17 Mar. 2024

How can picking your nose lead to Alzheimer's disease? —Katie Wiseman, The Courier-Journal, 7 Feb. 2024

And the extent to which these shifts will influence the epidemiology of dementia and Alzheimer's disease is also not clear. —Ziyad Al-Aly, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2024

Of these, 1,417 people eventually developed Alzheimer's disease, vascular dementia or dementia from any cause. —Fox News, 12 Feb. 2024

That's right: The new study shows that picking your nose could potentially increase your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. —Katie Wiseman, The Courier-Journal, 7 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Alois Alzheimer †1915 German physician

First Known Use

1911, in the meaning defined above

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