Alzheimer disease
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In short
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia among older people, and it is a brain disorder that seriously affects thinking and memory skills. The disease begins slowly over many years, first involving the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language, with symptoms that get worse over time. Symptoms can include getting lost in familiar places, repeating the same question, not recognizing family members, having trouble with language, and eventually needing total care. Age is the biggest risk factor, and the causes may involve a combination of age-related brain changes, genetic, health, and lifestyle factors.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
AI-generated summary of the sources cited on this page, checked automatically against them. Not reviewed by a clinician; not medical advice.
Codes
Description
What is Alzheimer's disease?
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia among older people. Dementia is a brain disorder that seriously affects thinking and memory skills. If you have AD, it can impair your ability to reason or learn new skills until it becomes difficult to complete daily activities.
AD begins slowly over many years. It first involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. It may be mistaken for normal memory changes with aging. However, AD is not a normal part of aging. The brain changes from the disease lead to symptoms that get worse over time.
What are the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?
People with AD may have trouble remembering recent events or the names of people they know. Behavior may vary from person to person and day to day. AD progresses in stages. Late-onset AD occurs in adults aged 65 and older, which is when most people develop the disease. Early-onset AD happens before age 65, which is not common.
Some symptoms of AD can include:
- Getting lost in familiar places
- Repeating the same question
- Not recognizing family members
- Having trouble speaking, reading, or writing
- Not taking care of yourself, such as not bathing or eating poorly
In AD, over time, symptoms get worse. Later on, people with AD may become anxious or aggressive or wander away from home. Eventually, they need total care. This can cause great stress for family members who must care for them.
Who is more likely to develop Alzheimer's disease?
Researchers don't fully understand what causes AD. Age is the biggest risk factor. Your risk is also higher if a family member has had the disease. Although people who develop Alzheimer's don't always have a history of the disease in their families.
Researchers believe the causes of AD may be a combination of age-related changes in the brain, along with genetic, health, and lifestyle factors. Some medical conditions that are associated with a higher risk of AD include:
- Hearing loss
- Depression
- Mild cognitive impairment
- Concussion or other traumatic brain injury (TBI)
A related problem, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), causes more memory problems than normal for people of the same age. Many, but not all, people with MCI will develop AD.
How is Alzheimer's disease diagnosed?
Some health conditions can cause memory loss or symptoms like AD. Talk with your health care provider if you're having noticeable changes in your memory. To determine if your symptoms are related to AD and not normal aging or another health condition, your provider may:
- Review your medical history and any medicines you're taking
- Conduct tests to check your memory, thinking, and problem-solving skills
- Ask about changes in behavior or personality
- Do tests to rule out any medical or mental health conditions
- Refer you to a provider that specializes in caring for older adults
- Recommend a neurologist, a doctor who specializes in treating diseases of the brain and nervous system
What are the treatments for Alzheimer's disease?
No treatment can stop the disease. However, some medicines may help keep symptoms from getting worse for a limited time.
Can Alzheimer's disease be prevented?
You can't change some risk factors, like your age. But changing certain lifestyle factors may promote your brain health and help you live a healthier lifestyle overall. This can include to:
- Manage chronic health issues such as high blood pressure or hearing loss
- Get regular physical activity
- Eat a healthy diet
- Quit smoking (or don't start)
- Get enough sleep
- Develop strong social connections
NIH: National Institute on Aging
Related terms in the cited sources
Medicines with an official indication for this condition
- Donanemab Treatment
- Florbetaben (18F) Treatment
- Flutemetamol (18F) Treatment
- Ioflupane (123I) Treatment
- Lecanemab Treatment
- Memantine Treatment
- Rivastigmine Treatment
In alphabetical order.
Next to it in ICD-10
- G20Parkinson disease, unspecified
- G21Secondary parkinsonism, unspecified
- G24Dystonia
- G35Multiple Sclerosis
- G40Epilepsy
- G43Migraine
Neighbouring codes in the classification, not a medical link.
External resources
Questions
What is the ICD-10 code for Alzheimer disease?
G30 (WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision).
What is the ICD-11 code for Alzheimer disease?
8A20: Alzheimer disease (WHO, ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics).
Sources and attribution
- ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics, © World Health Organization, licensed under CC BY-ND 3.0 IGO.
- Names other than the official source titles: Anpheros translations and plain-language names, made with AI assistance and checked automatically; the source names are in English.
- Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine.
- Source: European Medicines Agency (EMA) — EPAR. © European Medicines Agency.
- ICD-10 codes and titles © World Health Organization. Source: WHO, International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (2019).
Anpheros Search catalog 2026.10.5, published 17 October 2026. About the data →
About this page. This page brings together public information from official sources, each cited where it is used. It is not medical advice, it is not a diagnosis, and it does not tell you which treatment to take.
Treatments. Indications are quoted unchanged from official product information (European Medicines Agency, U.S. Food and Drug Administration). They describe what a medicine is approved for, not whether it is right for you. Approved uses can differ between countries. Always read the package leaflet and follow your doctor's or pharmacist's advice.
What people report. Figures marked "reported by Anpheros users" are anonymous counts from at least 20 people who agreed to share them. They show what people report, not what works, and they are not clinical evidence.
Links between terms. "May be associated with" means the link appears in a cited source. It does not mean you have that condition.
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