What is primary progressive aphasia? Wendy Williams, 59, diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and language disorder
"The Wendy Williams Show" host is "still able to do many things for herself" following her recent diagnosis.
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Daytime television and radio host Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and primary progressive aphasia.
The 59-year-old's latest health hurdles were announced in a lengthy statement by her team, who said Williams was formally diagnosed in 2023 following concerns over her "ability to process information." According to her team, Williams would often "lose words, act erratically at times, and have difficulty understanding financial transactions."
Prior to her most recent diagnosis, Williams was publicly navigating Graves disease, lymphedema and was open about her struggles with alcohol and drug addiction. Williams, who hosted "The Wendy Williams Show" for 13 seasons, made her last daytime appearance on-air in 2021 before disappearing from the public eye.
Speculation over the star's health was rampant and is the focus of a new Lifetime documentary, "Where Is Wendy Williams?" which airs Feb. 24.
The statement explained that Williams's latest health diagnosis has been shared publicly "to advocate for understanding and compassion for Wendy," and to raise awareness for the conditions.
"Wendy is still able to do many things for herself," the statement continued. "Most importantly she maintains her trademark sense of humour and is receiving the care she requires to make sure she is protected and that her needs are addressed. She is appreciative of the many kind thoughts and good wishes being sent her way."
Williams is not the only celebrity to be diagnosed with both frontotemporal dementia and aphasia. In 2022, Bruce Willis was diagnosed with aphasia before his family shared in February 2023 that they were given a "clear diagnosis" of frontotemporal dementia.
What is frontotemporal dementia?
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is an umbrella term that refers to a group of disorders that impact and damage the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain that are associated with language, personality and behaviour.
According to the Mayo Clinic, unlike Alzheimer's disease, FTD typically occurs at a younger age, between the ages of 40 and 65, and can vary in symptoms depending on which area of the brain is affected.
Although the cause is unknown, some symptoms of FTD include:
inappropriate social behaviour
lack of judgement
decline in personal hygiene
loss of empathy and interpersonal skills
compulsive behaviours such as tapping or clapping
eating objects or compulsively putting objects in the mouth
inappropriate laughing or crying
Rare types of FTD can also cause involuntary body movements, such as tremors and muscle spasms. Other physical limitations can include having trouble swallowing, having trouble walking, poor coordination and muscle weakness.
What is primary progressive aphasia?
Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a language disorder caused by damage to areas of the brain that controls "language expression and comprehension" that can impact a person's ability to speak and form sentences, recall words and names, read and write.
There are three sub-types of PPA that include having trouble finding the right words to use and having difficulty underrating others (lipogenic progressive aphasia), having poor grammar and trouble speaking fluently (progressive non-fluent aphasia) and difficulty naming objects and understanding the meaning of specific words (semantic dementia).What are the most common forms of aphasia, and what are the signs and symptoms?
What causes primary progressive aphasia?
According to the University of Southern California San Francisco Memory and Aging Center, PPA can be caused by a variety of conditions, including frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Can aphasia be treated?
Treatment for aphasia varies by case and is largely based on how the brain damage was acquired and its severity. While some people will see improvements in the months following a stroke or brain injury, others may not fully recover language and communication abilities.
One of the most common forms of treatments for aphasia is speech therapy, which can help restore language or help people with aphasia learn new ways to communicate effectively.
What can families do to support someone with aphasia?
Family involvement and cooperation is essential in treating aphasia. Since people impacted with aphasia can become extremely frustrated, it’s important for family members and caregivers to develop new methods of communication through gestures, pictures, “yes and no” questions and by using short, simple sentences.
Other ways to help a loved one with aphasia is to be sure to include them in conversations and allow them plenty of time to speak without correcting them.
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