Similar term(s): Alzheimer disease, AD, Alzheimer’s.
Definition:
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a degenerative brain syndrome characterized by a
progressive decline in memory, thinking, comprehension, calculation, language,
learning capacity and judgment sufficient to impair personal activities of daily
living.
The rate of occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease increases exponentially with
age, which means that it occurs very rarely among those 40-50 years old,
increases between 60 and 65 years, and is very common over 80 years.
It is important, however, to differentiate the symptoms of Alzhemimer's
disease from normal age-related decline in cognitive functions which is more
gradual and leads to much milder disability.