Hollywood and British theatre legend Sir Patrick Stewart died at his home in Los Angeles on October 28, aged 86. In the final period of his life, the actor was battling two serious neurodegenerative conditions simultaneously — Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (LBD). Stewart kept both diagnoses private until the end of his life.
According to the Alzheimer’s Association, when a patient develops both Alzheimer’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies, doctors diagnose the condition as “mixed dementia.” Despite having similar clinical symptoms, the two disorders damage the brain through different biological mechanisms and the abnormal accumulation of specific proteins.
According to specialists at the Mayo Clinic, unlike Alzheimer’s disease, dementia with Lewy bodies does not initially manifest itself through memory loss. The accumulation of alpha-synuclein damages different areas of the brain, causing patients to develop visual hallucinations, depression, cognitive impairment, sleep disturbances, and movement difficulties similar to those seen in Parkinson’s disease (muscle stiffness and tremors).
Michelle Dyson, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Society UK, noted that Patrick Stewart’s death serves as another reminder to the world of the devastating impact dementia has on patients and their families.
Hollywood stars and colleagues are paying tribute to the legendary actor. Sir Ian McKellen, who appeared alongside Stewart in the X-Men films and theatrical productions, described his friend as the most respected and beloved artist of their generation.
Star Trek actor William Shatner wrote that Stewart brought unparalleled intelligence, dignity, and profound humanity to every role he played. Hugh Jackman noted that the world had lost one of the greatest masters of stage and screen.
Patrick Stewart began his career with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, but achieved worldwide recognition for his portrayals of Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier (Professor X). Audiences will see the actor on screen for the last time in Marvel’s upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday, in which he reprised his role as Professor Xavier.
