Progressive mental deterioration manifested by loss of memory, ability to calculate, and visual-spatial orientation; confusion; and disorientation. Begins in late middle life and usually results in death in 5-10 years. The brain is atrophic; histologically, there is distortion of the intracellular neurofibrils (neurofibrillary tangles) and senile plaques composed of granular or filamentous argentophilic masses with an amyloid core; the most common degenerative brain disorder.
Synonyms
Presenile dementia, dementia presenilis, primary senile dementia, Alzheimer's