Celebrities Who Have Been Diagnosed With Alzheimer's

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According to BrightFocus Foundation's Alzheimer's Disease Research website, Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. They explain that the disease is progressive and currently incurable. Symptoms of Alzheimer's disease can include memory loss, confusion, cognitive problems, communication difficulties, changes in personality, and loss of the ability to care for oneself. Additionally, while we know that this condition is associated with an accumulation of abnormal brain proteins and brain shrinkage, its exact causes remain elusive. The organization further notes that 1 in 3 older adults will die with Alzheimer's or another form of dementia.

Given how common Alzheimer's disease is — more than 75 million people aged 65 and older are affected by it — it is, perhaps, not surprising that several celebrities have dealt with this condition, including James Doohan, Ronald Reagan, Peter Falk, and Rita Hayworth, to name a few. We'll examine how Alzheimer's disease affected these notable figures.

James Doohan — best known for his role as Scotty in the original 1960s sci-fi series "Star Trek," as well as his appearances in the subsequent movies and the TV shows "Star Trek: The Animated Series," "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and "Star Trek: Generations" — first announced his diagnosis in 2004 at the age of 84. At the time, his long-time agent, Steven Stevens, said he was in the beginning stages of the disease. He also stated that Doohan had Parkinson's disease, diabetes, and fibrosis due to a chemical exposure during World War II (per CBS News).

One of Doohan's last appearances was in January, prior to the announcement of his illness, when he had a cameo in the horror flick "Skinwalker: Curse of the Shaman." According to his agent, "He didn't have any energy, and he seemed very frail. But as soon as they yelled 'Action!' he was the same old feisty Scotty." Following his diagnosis, Doohan retreated from public life (via CBS News).

The actor passed away a year after his diagnosis, reportedly due to both the effects of Alzheimer's disease and pneumonia, according to The Guardian.

On November 4, 1994, five years after he left office, former President Ronald Reagan released a statement revealing his diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease. "In opening our hearts, we hope this might promote greater awareness of this condition," he said. Reagan noted that, at that time, he still felt well and planned to continue to do the things that he enjoyed (via Ronald Reagan Presidential Library & Museum). Ten years later, Reagan passed away at the age of 93 (per The Guardian).

Reagan's son, Ron, later shared that the elder Reagan had been living with Alzheimer's disease even while he was serving as the 40th president of the United States, causing a rift with his half-brother, Michael, who wanted to preserve his father's legacy. In his memoir, "My Father at 100," Ron wrote that his father had been exhibiting symptoms of the disease as early as the third year of his first term. Recalling a presidential debate with Walter Mondale held on October 7, 1984, he said, "My heart sank as he floundered his way through his responses, fumbling with his notes, uncharacteristically lost for words. He looked tired and bewildered."

Peter Falk was most famous for playing the disheveled but brilliant detective, Lieutenant Columbo, in the eponymous series, "Columbo." However, he found that in his later years, he was experiencing memory problems. This became especially problematic in 2007, after he underwent multiple dental surgeries. According to his daughter, Catherine, he eventually had no memory of playing the beloved character. Terra Bella Senior Living adds that the actor became a shadow of himself, struggling to recognize people and perform daily tasks.

Brevard Alzheimer's Association notes that Falk passed away in 2011 at his Beverly Hills home due to pneumonia and Alzheimer's complications. He was 83 years old.

In a 2025 feature article, Vanity Fair revealed the tragic story of Rita Hayworth's battle with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. With her symptoms first appearing when she was only in her 40s, the legendary actress's career was cut short even while she was in the midst of mounting a comeback. However, as the writer notes, her family's decision to go public helped bring awareness to the condition at a time when little was understood about it. "I think it helped the world," said her daughter, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan. "It helped people in general."

According to the Los Angeles Times, the glamorous star was initially misdiagnosed because she sometimes drank heavily. However, by 1976, when she began to have public episodes of agitation, it became clear that something else was wrong. Finally, in 1979, she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and her diagnosis was announced two years later. The magazine states that Hayworth, who passed away at the age of 68 in 1987, became the first to put a face to the disease, helping to break down the stigma associated with it.