[di-men-shuh, -shee-uh] 
| severe impairment or loss of intellectual capacity and personality integration, due to the loss of or damage to neurons in the brain. |
| de·men·tia (dĭ-měn'shə) n.
[Latin dēmentia, madness, from dēmēns, dēment-, senseless; see dement.] de·men'tial adj. |
dementia de·men·tia (dĭ-měn'shə)
n.
Deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, resulting from an organic disease or a disorder of the brain, and often accompanied by emotional disturbance and personality changes.
| dementia (dĭ-měn'shə) Pronunciation Key
Deterioration of intellectual faculties, such as memory, concentration, and judgment, sometimes accompanied by emotional disturbance and personality changes. Dementia is caused by organic damage to the brain (as in Alzheimer's disease), head trauma, metabolic disorders, or the presence of a tumor. |