dementia

noun

Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *de Proto-Indo-European *-h₁ Proto-Indo-European *déh₁ Proto-Italic *dē Latin dē Latin dē- Proto-Indo-European *men- Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *méntis Proto-Italic *mentis Latin mēns Latin dēment- Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin dēmentiabor. English dementia Borrowed from Latin dēmentia.

1. A progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Areas particularly affected include memory, attention, judgement, language and problem solving.

   “Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems— […]. Such a slow-release device containing angiogenic factors could be placed on the pia mater covering the cerebral cortex and tested in persons with senile dementia in long term studies.”

   “In recent years some clinical trials involving potential dementia drugs have had disappointing setbacks.”

2. Madness or insanity.