# David Cassidy has dementia \[EDIT: RIP\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357 "2017-02-20T23:08:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/1 "2017-02-20T23:08:24Z")
[Story here.](http://people.com/celebrity/david-cassidy-dementia/) > [@](#): > > David Cassidy is battling dementia. > > The 66-year-old actor, widely known for his starring role as Keith Partridge on the 1970s series The Partridge Family, reveals to PEOPLE that he is fighting the memory loss disease. > > Cassidy, who watched his grandfather battle the disease and witnessed his mother “disappear” into dementia until she died at age 89, tells PEOPLE of his diagnosis: “I was in denial, but a part of me always knew this was coming.” I was never a fan of his but he is part of my memories of the 70s. It’s sad news, I know what dementia can do to people, or at least the similar condition Alzheimers. My friend had early onset Alzheimers and piece by piece we watched the person we knew disappear. My thoughts go out to Cassidy. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/2 "2017-02-20T23:13:18Z")
horrible news, so sad for him. I hope he gets excellent care ☹ ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/3 "2017-02-20T23:59:34Z")
I was surprised to hear that he’s 66! One of the guys in AC/DC also had to leave the band for this reason; he was about 60 at the time. Way too young for any of this, but then again, so is any age. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/4 "2017-02-21T01:33:46Z")
Can’t help but wonder if booze and drugs hastened it. I am beginning to forget a whole lotta stuff myself and really have to concentrate sometimes at tasks…ah, time marches on, I hope he has some kind of support system to see to his future. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/5 "2017-02-21T05:15:33Z")
Wasn’t he also in a serious car accident a while back? Maybe I’m thinking of someone else. TBIs are being linked to various forms of dementia. (traumatic brain injury) ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/6 "2017-02-21T08:28:29Z")
He was on Celebrity Apprentice (shaddup!) a few years ago. In the episode I saw part of his team’s task was to raise a specific amount of money with whatever the task entailed. I remember him frantically calling his daughter Katie (she’s on _Arrow_ now but back then then she was an up-and-coming singer) asking her to explain exactly what he was supposed to do. It reminded me of my mother frantically asking me how to get to our local supermarket and not understanding that it’s less than a mile from our house and she knew the route like the back of her hand. IIRC he was eliminated in that episode and the editing made it look like he was a dumb piece of crap. Looking back…I have no words, but the thought of dementia crossed my mind. IIRC, too, didn’t his father Jack Cassidy also have it? ---
**Author:** ![madsircool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madsircool/32/3432_2.png) [@madsircool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madsircool)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/7 "2017-02-21T09:41:34Z")
His father was an alcoholic who burned to death due to a cigarette starting a fire. I don’t think we can know because he was still youngish and the science was in its infancy. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/8 "2017-02-21T10:41:02Z")
I think I love you… do I? I’m not sure. I think I love someone. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/9 "2017-02-21T13:26:19Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Can’t help but wonder if booze and drugs hastened it. … Is there any correlation between dementia and drug/alcohol usage? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/10 "2017-02-21T14:27:08Z")
> [@kiz](#): > > He was on Celebrity Apprentice (shaddup!) a few years ago. In the episode I saw part of his team’s task was to raise a specific amount of money with whatever the task entailed. I remember him frantically calling his daughter Katie (she’s on _Arrow_ now but back then then she was an up-and-coming singer) asking her to explain exactly what he was supposed to do. It reminded me of my mother frantically asking me how to get to our local supermarket and not understanding that it’s less than a mile from our house and she knew the route like the back of her hand. > > IIRC he was eliminated in that episode and the editing made it look like he was a dumb piece of crap. Looking back…I have no words, but the thought of dementia crossed my mind. > > IIRC, too, didn’t his father Jack Cassidy also have it? I had no idea until this moment that was his daughter. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/11 "2017-02-21T14:35:46Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > I think I love you… do I? I’m not sure. I think I love someone. Too soon. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/12 "2017-02-21T16:19:32Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Is there any correlation between dementia and drug/alcohol usage? Of course there is! You think abusing drugs and alcohol for years and years is just a harmless past time? There is physical damage to the liver and brain, for alcohol, and a lack of thiamine due to alcoholism can bring on Korsakoff syndrome, for one. Every neurologist who sees a new patient for dementia first asks about alcohol abuse in the past. I’m unfamiliar with drugs, but I know in his autobiography David Cassidy speaks of his utter rapture in his teens with LSD. Made it sound like heaven on earth (and god knows what his blathering inspired in readers). You think that couldn’t affect the brain? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/13 "2017-02-21T16:24:45Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > …You think abusing drugs and alcohol for years and years is just a harmless past time? … I’m remaining optimistic. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/14 "2017-02-21T22:43:22Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I’m remaining optimistic. Keith Richards Till something happens to him, I am assuming its a stretch to believe Alcohol and Narcotics are the prime cause of death. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/15 "2017-02-21T23:26:22Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > … I’m unfamiliar with drugs, but I know in his autobiography David Cassidy speaks of his utter rapture in his teens with LSD. Made it sound like heaven on earth (and god knows what his blathering inspired in readers). You think that couldn’t affect the brain? It seems to me that LSD does in fact have a more-or-less permanent effect on the brain. It is difficult to imagine that it would not: the tripper takes a ridiculously small dose – on the order of a few hundred _micro_grams and is then fried for twelve hours or more. The brain eventually retracts into its more stable configuration, but I get the impression that it is never quite 100% back to the way it was. Nonetheless, there does not seem to be much good evidence that LSD causes any kind of functional brain damage, in and of itself. If you are already susceptible to dementia, it might possibly make it worse, but there is about as much diversity of conditions amongst those who have used it as amongst those who never have. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2017, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/16 "2017-02-21T23:59:32Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > If you are already susceptible to dementia, it might possibly make it worse, but there is about as much diversity of conditions amongst those who have used it as amongst those who never have. I’ve just been reading about depression and dementia. Fortunately there is no multiplier effect, but if you’re half out of your mind with depression, and half out of your mind with dementia, you are entirely out to lunch. My uncle, who suffered repeated physical trauma in the military, also died with dementia. We didn’t think the brain insults /caused/ the dementia, but we think it made it worse. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/17 "2017-02-22T01:05:53Z")
dementia in any form is so awful I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, even the Pumpkin-in-Chief. Now that’s saying something, coming from me. Many years ago I read a magazine article written by Yasmin Khan, daughter of Rita Hayworth… She detailed her mother’s descent into the dementia of Alzheimer’s. I don’t know how long that label for the disease had been around, but it was certainly nothing I’d ever heard of. As she wrote of the symptoms I thought to myself “That sounds like Della” who was a dear friend of the family. And sure enough that was what Della suffered from. First person I ever knew who had Alzheimers. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/18 "2017-02-22T04:40:57Z")
I read an article that said dementia runs in his family. His father had it, and so did his grandmother. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/19 "2017-02-22T05:04:10Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > dementia in any form is so awful I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, even the Pumpkin-in-Chief. Now that’s saying something, coming from me. > > Many years ago I read a magazine article written by Yasmin Khan, daughter of Rita Hayworth… She detailed her mother’s descent into the dementia of Alzheimer’s. I don’t know how long that label for the disease had been around, but it was certainly nothing I’d ever heard of. As she wrote of the symptoms I thought to myself “That sounds like Della” who was a dear friend of the family. And sure enough that was what Della suffered from. First person I ever knew who had Alzheimers. The disease was identified in 1906 by a German psychiatrist named Dr. Alois Alzheimer, which interestingly means “old age home”. Awareness of the disease really took off in the 1980s. > **[Alois Alzheimer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alois_Alzheimer)** > > Alois Alzheimer (/ˈæltshaɪmər/ ALTS-hy-mər, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}US also /ˈɑːlts-, ˈɔːlts-/ AHLTS-, AWLTS-, German: \[ˈaːlɔɪs ˈʔaltshaɪmɐ\]; 14 June 1864 – 19 December 1915) was a German psychiatrist and neuropathologist and a colleague of Emil Kraepelin. Alzheimer is credited with identifying the first published case Alz... This was his index patient. > **[Auguste Deter](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auguste_Deter)** > > Auguste Deter (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}German pronunciation: \[aʊ̯ˈɡʊstə ˈdeːtɐ\], née Hochmann; 16 May 1850 – 8 April 1906) was a German woman notable for being the first person to be diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. > Auguste was born in Kassel, Hesse-Kassel on May 16, 1850. Born into a working-class family, Auguste had t... ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2017, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357/20 "2017-02-22T22:20:53Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > The disease was identified in 1906 by a German psychiatrist named Dr. Alois Alzheimer, which interestingly means “old age home”. Awareness of the disease really took off in the 1980s. Are you telling me it was a pun before we started calling it old timer’s disease? My grandmother used to tell me that I’d get whiplash because I had long hair and flicked it out of my eyes by snapping my head the way Cassidy did in his Tiger Beat days. Maybe he broke his brain doing that? Seriously though, he has my best wishes. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/david-cassidy-has-dementia-edit-rip/780357.md?page=2)