Wendy Williams diagnosed with primary disease progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia. Williams took a break from her talk show in 2021 to deal with health issues, and in 2023, after undergoing a “series of medical tests,” she was diagnosed with a condition that affects her language, communication behavior, and function. , the magazine says. news release.
Williams, 59, had publicly announced her diagnosis of Graves' disease and lymphedema. She initially took an indefinite leave of absence from her long-running talk show, “Wendy,” which first aired in 2008. It was announced that Sherri Shepherd will host the show in 2022.
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Wendy's care team shared a health update on Thursday “to correct inaccurate and harmful rumors regarding Wendy's health.” She would sometimes be unable to speak and act erratic, such as during the recording of her talk show, which worried and confused her many fans.
What is aphasia?
Aphasia makes it difficult for patients to understand and communicate language. The condition received widespread attention when the actor appeared in the film. Bruce Willis reveals his diagnosis He later revealed that he was also diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia.
According to the Mayo Clinic, aphasia is associated with damage to the left side of the brain and is usually a symptom of other medical problems, such as a stroke, head injury, or tumor, or it develops due to degenerative diseases of the brain.
What is frontotemporal dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia, also known as FTD, refers to a group of brain diseases that affect the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, which are associated with personality, behavior, and language, the Mayo Clinic explains.
According to the Mayo Clinic, some people with FTD show dramatic changes in their personality, and “some may become socially inappropriate, impulsive, or emotionally detached; “Some people lose the ability to use language properly.”
“A lot of times, patients just exhibit problem behaviors and their personality can change,” Dr. Gayatri Devi, a clinical professor of neurology at Northwell Health who specializes in dementia, told “CBS Morning.” explained. “But in contrast to something like Alzheimer's disease, there is no definitive test to make a definitive diagnosis.”
In contrast to Alzheimer's disease, which typically affects older people, Alzheimer's disease tends to affect people in their 50s and 60s.
“All dementias have a genetic component, but genetics are not your destiny,” Devi said. “…genetics is part of it, but there’s a lot of other things that can be done. prevent dementia. ”
FTD accounts for approximately 10% to 20% of dementia cases, and approximately 50,000 to 60,000 people are diagnosed with FTD each year.
It may be underdiagnosed, Dr. David Agus told CBS News after Willis' diagnosis. He said this is a progressive disease that can get worse and require extensive treatment.
Wendy Williams Documentary and Guardianship
Williams' team said the decision to go public with Wendy's diagnosis was a difficult one, but they wanted to “not only appeal for understanding and compassion for Wendy, but also to raise awareness about aphasia and frontotemporal dementia.” I decided to do this to raise the bar and help the thousands of people who are facing this.” It's a similar situation. ”
They said Ms. Williams still has a lot going for herself and has “maintained her trademark sense of humor.” She says she is receiving the care she needs.
Williams was placed in a court-appointed conservatorship after Wells Fargo claimed she was “mentally insane” in 2022, according to Entertainment Tonight. The bank claimed she had been subjected to “undue influence and financial exploitation,” but Ms. Williams denied these claims.
Her son Kevin Hunter Jr. has also expressed concerns about the conservatorship. Her manager Will Selby refuted her claims to ET, saying she wasn't being taken advantage of.
In the trailer for the two-part documentary about Williams' life, which will air on Lifetime on February 24th and 25th, Williams is seen talking about his financial situation. “I don't have any money,'' she says, worried. Her family also appears to have expressed concerns about her guardianship.
“I love being famous, but family is everything. Everything,” Williams says in the trailer.
–Sara Moniuszko contributed to this report.
