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Former TV speak present host Wendy Williams, 59, was recognized with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and aphasia, which impairs the flexibility to speak, in 2023, a consultant confirmed on Thursday.
Given Williams’ reported historical past of alcoholism, consultants are talking out in regards to the potential hyperlink between her alcohol abuse and present cognitive points.
Thursday’s announcement of Williams’ prognosis got here forward of a brand new Lifetime documentary — titled “Where Is Wendy Williams?” — that may premiere on Saturday, as her consultant goals to “correct inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health.”
Williams entered a facility in April 2023 to allegedly deal with “cognitive issues” reportedly resulting from alcohol abuse, as her household communicates along with her via a court-appointed authorized guardian.
“In 2023, after undergoing a battery of medical tests, Wendy was officially diagnosed with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia (FTD),” Williams’ care staff acknowledged in a press launch.
Wendy Williams attends a personal dinner at Fresco By Scotto on Feb. 21, 2023, in New York City. The former TV speak present host has been recognized with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and aphasia. (Getty Images)
“Aphasia, a condition affecting language and communication abilities, and frontotemporal dementia, a progressive disorder impacting behavior and cognitive functions, have already presented significant hurdles in Wendy’s life.”
Fox News Digital reached out to Williams’ staff requesting extra remark.
Link between alcohol and mind well being
Dr. Suzette Glasner, PhD, a psychologist in Los Angeles, California, has not handled or examined Williams however mentioned heavy consuming and alcoholism could cause injury to each white and grey matter within the mind, and over time can result in deteriorating cognitive functioning, together with dementia.
“These neurocognitive impacts are a result of a combination of alcohol’s direct neurotoxic effects, depletion of nutrients in the body, impacts on liver functioning and disruption of communication between nerve cells in the brain,” Glasner informed Fox News Digital.
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When heavy and continual alcohol use results in mind injury, a person can expertise issues with their consideration, reminiscence and reasoning, the professional mentioned.
“In many cases, individuals who misuse or are addicted to alcohol and drugs struggle with overlapping chronic medical and psychiatric conditions, and this can make it very challenging to determine the etiology or cause of neurocognitive symptoms such as those observed in Wendy Williams,” Glasner mentioned.
Thursday’s announcement of Williams’ prognosis got here forward of a brand new Lifetime documentary — titled “Where Is Wendy Williams?” — that may premiere on Saturday, as her consultant goals to “correct inaccurate and hurtful rumors about her health.” (lya S. Savenok/Getty Images for Wilhelmina Models)
Neuropsychiatric signs together with cognitive impairment are frequent in Grave’s Disease, an autoimmune dysfunction Williams has spoken about battling through the years.
“Those symptoms often improve with treatment; however, like other chronic diseases, alcohol or drug use can complicate or interfere with treatment response, making improvements less likely,” famous Glasner.
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Elizabeth Landsverk, M.D., a geriatric and dementia professional in San Francisco, additionally has not handled Williams however mentioned that substance misuse has been beforehand linked to cognitive decline. She additionally famous that the extent of its affect isn’t clear.
“Not enough research has been conducted on the matter to give us precise data,” she informed Fox News Digital.
“What has been famous is that alcohol abuse — in addition to taking a lot of different drugs — does improve the danger of growing dementia.”
What quantity of alcohol is harmful?
Brain injury and neurocognitive impacts can happen with heavy consuming in people with average or extreme alcohol use problems, Grasner mentioned — “so there is a wide variation between individuals in the quantity of alcohol that leads to these neurotoxic effects.”
“The specific reasons that some individuals develop alcohol-related dementia whereas others do not are not well understood, so we don’t currently have guidelines specifying that if you drink a certain amount, you are likely to experience cognitive impairments,” she added.
Brain injury and neurocognitive impacts can happen with heavy consuming in people with average or extreme alcohol use problems, an professional mentioned. (iStock)
Women are usually extra susceptible to the damaging results of alcohol on the mind and physique, Glasner famous, which implies the onset can happen at a youthful age than it will in males.
“Expert evaluation of the contribution of substance use and other underlying medical conditions such as Grave’s Disease to cognitive symptoms would be very important for Williams to ensure that she receives the right treatments at the right time,” Glasner beneficial.
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“Often involving a family very closely to evaluate the symptoms and the timing of their emergence relative to alcohol or other substance use can be helpful as part of determining an accurate prognosis and plan of care,” she added.
Abstinence from alcohol is a vital a part of remedy for alcohol-related neurological deficits, famous Glasner.
“In many cases, individuals who misuse or are addicted to alcohol and drugs struggle with overlapping chronic medical and psychiatric conditions.”
If the situation is caught in time, abstaining from alcohol can at the least partially, if not totally, reverse the signs, in accordance with the professional.
Living with FTD and aphasia
While signs of FTD can fluctuate relying on what a part of the mind is affected, most individuals with the situation expertise some frequent signs, as listed on the Johns Hopkins Medicine web site.
Behavior or character modifications are sometimes the obvious indicators. These might embody public outbursts or socially inappropriate actions.
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People with FTD additionally are likely to have impaired judgment, an absence of empathy and decrease self-awareness, Johns Hopkins states.
This kind of dementia can also be marked by a diminished means to know or formulate language.
Heavy consuming and alcoholism could cause injury to each white and grey matter within the mind, and over time can result in deteriorating cognitive functioning, a psychiatrist mentioned. (iStock)
People might battle to recollect the names of objects, string phrases into sentences and even recall the meanings of phrases they used to know.
The situation can even result in agitation, irritability and drastic temper swings.
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There is not any remedy for FTD aside from managing signs and educating relations and caregivers, in accordance with Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute in New Jersey.
Some aphasia signs may be managed with speech remedy.
“The specific reasons why some individuals develop alcohol-related dementia whereas others do not are not well understood.”
“Treatment focuses a great deal on family education,” mentioned Reena Gottesman, M.D., a behavioral neurologist on the Center for Brain Loss and Memory Health at Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute, in a press launch.
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Approximately 50,000-60,000 individuals might have FTD, per information from the Alzheimer’s Association, a nonprofit group based mostly in Chicago.
Recently, actor Bruce Willis’ FTD prognosis introduced new consideration to the uncommon situation.
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