Legendary “Star Trek” and “X-Men” actor Sir Patrick Stewart died Wednesday at his home in LA following a battle with Alzheimer’s disease and Lewy body dementia. He was 86.
“He has been held in the warm embrace of family and friends, surrounded by live music, prayer, tears, laughter, and the kind of profound emotion that only he could inspire after a lifetime of devotion to us all,” read a statement posted Thursday to Stewart’s Instagram page.
“We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection of his invincible grace.”
Over 7 million Americans have been diagnosed with dementia, which gradually destroys memory, thinking skills and the capacity to perform basic tasks.
Alzheimer’s is the most common form of dementia, accounting for about 60% to 70% of cases, while Lewy body dementia is responsible for roughly 10% to 15% of cases.
Here’s everything you need to know about Lewy body dementia (LBD), from symptoms to treatments and other celebrities diagnosed with the condition.
What is Lewy body dementia?
It’s a progressive brain disorder caused by abnormal clumps of a protein called alpha-synuclein —known as Lewy bodies — building up inside neurons in the brain.
The clumps are named after Dr. Friedrich Lewy, the German-born physician who identified them in 1912, per the National Institute on Aging.
Lewy body dementia vs. dementia
LBD is a specific type of dementia that differs from Alzheimer’s.
Alzheimer’s, for one, is primarily characterized by the accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques and tau tangles instead of Lewy bodies.
“LBD has many core clinical features that distinguish this form of dementia from Alzheimer’s disease,” Dr. Jonathan Fellows from the Michigan Institute for Neurological Disorders (MIND) previously told The Post.
“Patients can experience fluctuations in their cognition, alertness and attention, which can vary from day to day or even from hour to hour.”
And unlike Alzheimer’s, in which sufferers have trouble forming new memories, people with LBD can create new memories but have a hard time retrieving them.
Symptoms and stages of Lewy body dementia
LBD does not have formal stages like Alzheimer’s, but there are core symptoms.
One distinct sign of LBD is the “Lewy lean.”
“The ‘Lewy lean’ is a term used to describe gait and balance problems associated with LBD,” Fellows said.
“Patients can have several different variations, including a persistent lean to one side when sitting, standing or walking; difficulty standing upright; difficulty walking straight; and increased falls associated with loss of balance.”
Fellows shared that LBD patients can also present with detailed visual hallucinations and sleep disturbances that often appear early in the disease process.
“A common early feature of LBD includes REM sleep behavior disorder, where patients have vivid dreams and act out their dreams with yelling, kicking or punching during sleep,” he said. “This sleep disorder often precedes the cognitive symptoms by many years.”
Causes of Lewy body dementia
The exact cause of LBD remains unknown, but researchers believe a combination of genetic, environmental and lifestyle factors may play a role.
LBD isn’t generally considered hereditary, though certain genetic variants have been linked to an increased risk of developing the disease, according to the American Brain Foundation.
Life expectancy with Lewy body dementia
Scientists are still working to understand how the disease affects the brain, including the role of Lewy bodies.
These protein deposits interfere with normal brain function and are associated with the loss of neurons that produce key neurotransmitters that help cells communicate.
Acetylcholine, one of these chemical messengers, plays an important role in memory and learning. Another, dopamine, helps regulate movement, thinking, behavior, motivation, sleep and mood.
As there is no cure for LBD, treatment focuses on symptom management.
Because the disease shares features with Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, therapies are used interchangeably.
“Cholinesterase inhibitors, such as rivastigmine or donepezil, although not FDA-approved for this condition, can be used to help with cognition, attention and hallucinations,” Fellows said.
“Symptoms similar to those of patients with Parkinson’s disease can sometimes be managed with levodopa therapy, such as Sinemet.”
Atypical antipsychotic medication is used to treat symptoms like hallucinations, delusions and agitation. However, Fellows emphasized that traditional antipsychotics should be avoided as they can exacerbate LBD symptoms.
LBD patients who are suffering from REM sleep behavior disorder can utilize melatonin or clonazepam.
Other celebrities who’ve struggled with Lewy body dementia
Stewart isn’t the only public figure to have battled the devastating condition.
The autopsy of Robin Williams revealed the actor and comedian was suffering from LBD before his death by suicide in 2014.
Radio personality Casey Kasem was also diagnosed with LBD after initially being misdiagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
“Golden Girls” star Estelle Getty, country music legend Glen Campbell and Hall of Fame New York Mets pitcher Tom Seaver also lived with the disorder.
