neurodegenerative

adjective

neu·​ro·​de·​gen·​er·​a·​tive ˌnu̇r-ō-di-ˈje-nə-rə-tiv 

-ˈjen-rə-;

-ˈje-nə-ˌrā-;

-dē-,

ˌnyu̇r-

: relating to or marked by degeneration of nervous tissue

Examples of neurodegenerative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When this machinery fails, protein aggregates can devastate entire neural networks, snuffing out communication and leading to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and ALS. —Quanta Magazine, 13 May 2024

Inflammation, which has been linked to the beginning stages of dementia and neurodegenerative diseases, is something that longevity specialists seek to avoid or reduce in clients. —Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 12 May 2024

Research is mounting that this type of entrenched loneliness is bad for our health and can even change our brains, raising the risk for neurodegenerative diseases. —Dana G. Smith, New York Times, 9 May 2024

By Alice Park May 2, 2024 8:06 AM EDT It’s been a long time since there was good news about Parkinson’s disease, a neurodegenerative condition that affects more than 8 million people worldwide. —TIME, 2 May 2024

In the 1980s, concerns about bovine spongiform encephalopathy — or mad cow disease — took hold across Europe, when cases of the incurable and invariably fatal neurodegenerative disease of cattle began to appear. —Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2024

Olive oil can also combat oxidative stress, which harms brain health and can trigger neurodegenerative diseases. —Alexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 13 Feb. 2024

Laboratory studies have found that dates are helpful for lowering inflammatory markers in the brain, which could help lower the risk of neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and could even improve memory and learning. —Sina Petri, Vogue, 9 Apr. 2024

Moreover, repetitive rapid finger tapping is a common test of fine motor control of the upper extremities as well as a standard means of assessing the potential effects of neurodegenerative disease and traumatic brain injury. —Sabrina Sholts, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

neurodegenerative

adjective

neu·​ro·​de·​gen·​er·​a·​tive -di-ˈjen-ə-ˌrāt-iv, -di-ˈjen-(ə-)rət- 

: relating to or characterized by degeneration of nervous tissue

neurodegeneration

-di-ˌjen-ə-ˈrā-shən, -ˌdē- 

noun