Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia, and involves a progressive degeneration of the cerebral cortex. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia. Dementia is a collective name for progressive degenerative brain syndromes which affect memory, thinking, behaviour and emotion. Alzheimer disease, degenerative brain disorder that develops in mid-to-late adulthood. Alzheimer disease is characterized by a progressive and irreversible decline in memory and deterioration of other cognitive abilities. Learn more about the symptoms, causes, and treatment of Alzheimer disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive form of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Learn about the causes, symptoms, treatments, and more.