Wendy Williams has been identified with major progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), her medical care workforce introduced Thursday. Right here, Williams attends the world premiere of Apple TV+’s The Morning Present in New York on Oct. 28, 2019.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
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Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Wendy Williams has been identified with major progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD), her medical care workforce introduced Thursday. Right here, Williams attends the world premiere of Apple TV+’s The Morning Present in New York on Oct. 28, 2019.
Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
Wendy Williams, the previous TV discuss present host and shock jock, has been identified with aphasia and frontotemporal dementia, her medical workforce introduced.
In a information launch Thursday, her workforce mentioned Williams, 59, obtained her analysis final 12 months and that the situations have already ”introduced important hurdles in Wendy’s life.”
”Wendy remains to be capable of do many issues for herself,” her workforce mentioned, noting that she is appreciative of the type ideas and desires being despatched to her. ”Most significantly she maintains her trademark humorousness and is receiving the care she requires to ensure she is protected and that her wants are addressed.”
Information of her newest medical analysis comes days forward of the Lifetime premiere of The place is Wendy Williams? — a two-part documentary detailing her well being battles following the tip of her syndicated discuss present in 2022.
Williams, the previous TV host of The Wendy Williams Present, stepped away from the world of broadcasting following a sequence of well being points. (Williams additionally has Graves’ illness, an autoimmune dysfunction affecting the thyroid.)
In 2022, as a consequence of her ongoing well being battles, it was introduced that her syndicated daytime discuss present would finish after a 13-year run on TV.
Williams’ workforce says they shared the well being replace this week to ”right inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her well being,” as many followers have been involved, but confused over the previous couple of years about her bodily well being and monetary well-being.
In 2022, the 59-year-old was positioned underneath momentary monetary guardianship after her financial institution, Wells Fargo, raised considerations — claiming in a New York court docket that she is an ”incapacitated particular person,” The Hollywood Reporter reported.
What precisely is aphasia?
Aphasia is outlined as a situation that impacts the power to talk, write and perceive language, based on the Mayo Clinic. The language dysfunction can happen after strokes or head accidents — and may even lead, in some instances, to dementia.
Medical specialists say the impacts of the dysfunction can differ, relying on the particular person’s analysis. However primarily, the situation impacts an individual’s capability to speak — whether or not written, spoken or each.
Almost 180,000 individuals within the U.S. purchase the situation every year. Most individuals residing with aphasia are middle-aged or older, as the common age of these residing with the situation is 70 years previous. Nevertheless, anybody, together with younger kids, can purchase it.
Dr. Jonathon Lebovitz, a neurosurgeon specializing within the surgical remedy of mind and backbone situations at Nuvance Well being, advised NPR in 2022 following the analysis of actor Bruce Willis, that an individual’s situation will depend on the precise portion of the mind that is impacted.
”In most sufferers which have aphasia, it’s a symptom of a bigger medical concern,” Lebovitz mentioned.
What’s frontotemporal dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia, generally referred to as FTD, is considered one of a number of kinds of dementia that trigger nerve harm within the frontal and temporal lobes — which ends up in a lack of perform in these areas, based on the Alzheimer’s Affiliation.
FTD also can disrupt motor perform and motion, which could possibly be categorised as Lou Gehrig’s illness — in any other case referred to as ALS.
There are two several types of frontotemporal dementia: Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia, which causes nerve loss within the areas of the mind that management empathy, judgment and conduct, and first progressive aphasia (PPA) — the shape Williams has, which impacts language abilities, talking, writing and comprehension.
About 30% of individuals with frontotemporal degeneration inherit the illness. The underlying causes of FTD are unknown.
What are the remedy choices for aphasia and FTD?
For individuals who are identified with aphasia, there are a number of remedy choices obtainable.
Historically, most individuals bear a type of speech and language remedy to revive their communicative abilities. Moreover, there are ongoing scientific trials that use mind stimulation and should assist enhance one’s capability to regain abilities.
Up to now, no long-term analysis on aphasia has been performed but.
On the subject of FTD, there are drugs that may assist relieve signs however with time, the illness finally will get worse.