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

Currently, the only way to diagnose CTE is posthumously, by taking a slice of brain tissue and dying it to identify the tau protein associated with the neurodegenerative disease. —Evan Webeck, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025

Motor Neuron Disease Suvankar Pal, a neurologist from the University of Edinburgh, described Motor Neuron Disease as neurodegenerative disease, like Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, aka Lou Gehrig’s disease. —Judy Stone, Forbes.com, 27 Aug. 2025

In neurodegenerative diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and aging, brain cells endure relentless damage from the excessive formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can result in oxidative stress. —Hannah Millington, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Aug. 2025

Associated factors listed were neurodegenerative disorder, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic respiratory failure and chronic kidney disease. —Marina Watts, People.com, 21 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1907, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for neurodegenerative

• degenerative
• regenerative
• generative

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