Definition

Alzheimer disease is a neurological disorder characterized by slow, progressive memory loss due to a gradual loss of brain cells. Alzheimer disease significantly affects cognitive (thought) capabilities and, eventually, affected individuals become incapacitated. Alzheimer-related issues can cause emotional and financial upheaval for both the individuals with the disease and their families. Alzheimer disease is the most common form of dementia (loss of intellectual function) and, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it is the fourth leading cause of death in adults.

Description

The condition was first described in 1906 by Alois Alzheimer, a German physician. Alzheimer characterized two abnormal structures in the brain of a woman with dementia that are now considered the hallmarks of the disease: amyloid...