Wendy Williams has been diagnosed with a form of dementia, according to a statement released Thursday on behalf of her caretakers.
The 59-year-old former talk show host was diagnosed last year with with primary progressive aphasia and frontotemporal dementia “after undergoing a battery of medical tests,” according to the statement.
A look at the condition, which also affects the actor Bruce Willis.
WHAT IS FRONTOTEMPORAL DEMENTIA?
Frontotemporal dementia, or FTD, is a rare disease that affects parts of the brain controlling behavior and language. These parts of the brain shrink as the disease gets worse.
FTD usually occurs in people in their 40s, 50s and early 60s. It can affect a person’s personality, causing a loss of inhibition or inappropriate behavior. It is sometimes mistaken for depression or bipolar disorder, and can take years to diagnose.
“It’s a really tough diagnosis, I have to tell you,” said Johns Hopkins University cognitive scientist Brenda Rapp.
