Alzheimer's disease
Progressive cognitive decline
Alzheimer's disease is a progressive brain disorder that destroys memory and cognitive function, the most common cause of dementia.
It typically begins with mild forgetfulness and advances to severe impairment—patients lose the ability to recognize loved ones, speak coherently, or perform basic tasks.
Named for the German physician who first described it in 1906.
Her grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at seventy-two.
Mental disorientation or bewilderment
- cognitive declineWorsening of thought abilities
- disorientationLoss of spatial awareness
- forgetfulnessFailure to retain information
- neurodegenerationProgressive loss of neurons
aphasia · apraxia · agnosia · executive dysfunction · behavioral changes · wandering · sundowning · personality changes
Temporary substitute caregiving
- memory careSupport for cognitive decline
- assisted livingResidential care for elderly
- nursing homeLong-term eldercare residence
- adult daycareDaytime senior supervision facility
home health aide · support groups · caregiver stress · bathing · dressing · medication management · power of attorney · hospice
Controlled health research experiments
- drug developmentProcess of creating medicines
- neuroimagingVisualizing nervous system structure
- PET scanRadiotracer-based internal imaging
- MRIMagnetic body imaging
biomarkers · therapeutics · animal models · immunotherapy · disease-modifying · early detection · cognitive testing · blood test
Brain's outer neural sheet
- brain shrinkageNeural tissue volume loss
- inflammationProtective tissue response
- blood-brain barrierProtective cerebral filtration system
- acetylcholineNeurotransmitter for muscles and memory
Pertaining to relatives
- heritabilityGenetic share of variation
- genetic testingAnalysis for inherited disorders
- risk factorCondition increasing harm probability
- family historyRecord of ancestors
genetic predisposition · inheritance · Down syndrome · genetic counseling · biomarkers
Advanced in age
- senior citizensOlder adults, typically retired
- geriatricsMedicine for the elderly
- old ageAdvanced years of life
- age-relatedTied to chronological progression
late-life · longevity · prevalence · elder care · aging population · retirement community
confusion
Mental disorientation or bewilderment
- cognitive declineWorsening of thought abilities
- disorientationLoss of spatial awareness
- forgetfulnessFailure to retain information
neurodegeneration · aphasia · apraxia · agnosia · executive dysfunction · behavioral changes · wandering · sundowning · personality changes · impaired judgment
respite care
Temporary substitute caregiving
- memory careSupport for cognitive decline
- assisted livingResidential care for elderly
- nursing homeLong-term eldercare residence
adult daycare · home health aide · support groups · caregiver stress · bathing · dressing · medication management · power of attorney · hospice · end-of-life care
clinical trials
Controlled health research experiments
- drug developmentProcess of creating medicines
- neuroimagingVisualizing nervous system structure
- PET scanRadiotracer-based internal imaging
MRI · biomarkers · therapeutics · animal models · immunotherapy · disease-modifying · early detection · cognitive testing · blood test
cerebral cortex
Brain's outer neural sheet
- brain shrinkageNeural tissue volume loss
- inflammationProtective tissue response
- blood-brain barrierProtective cerebral filtration system
familial
Pertaining to relatives
- heritabilityGenetic share of variation
- genetic testingAnalysis for inherited disorders
- risk factorCondition increasing harm probability
family history · genetic predisposition · inheritance · Down syndrome · genetic counseling · biomarkers
elderly
Advanced in age
- senior citizensOlder adults, typically retired
- geriatricsMedicine for the elderly
- old ageAdvanced years of life
age-related · late-life · longevity · prevalence · elder care · aging population · retirement community
- Proteinopathiesprions, amyloidosis, Parkinson's disease, aggregates, Huntington's disease
- diseasescancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, influenza, measles
- chronic conditionsdiabetes, heart disease, asthma, arthritis, hypertension
- EponymsDarwinian, Freudian slip, cardigan, Parkinson's disease, Machiavellian
- Brain Disordersepilepsy, Parkinson's, brain tumor, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia
- cognitive disorderscognitive impairment, amnesia, mild cognitive impairment, cognitive decline, memory impairment
Alzheimer's diseasecognitive health
Brain function condition
mental clarity · sharp mind · mental acuity · lucidity · sound mind
Alzheimer's diseasetotal recall
Complete, perfect remembrance
eidetic memory · photographic memory · memory retention · remembering