Patrick Stewart Cause of Death: Alzheimer's and Lewy Body Dementia

Actor Patrick Stewart died Wednesday, Oct. 28, after living with Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia, according to his spokeswoman, Kelly Bush Novak. Stewart, known for the "Star Trek" and "X-Men" franchises, was 86.

Stewart died at his home in Los Angeles, according to his representatives. A statement posted on his Instagram and Facebook pages said he died after a "short and poignant journey" with both conditions. The statement did not name a single immediate cause of death.

According to the statement, Stewart died in the care of his wife, Sunny, and "in the warm embrace of friends and family." He was "surrounded by live music, prayers, tears and laughter."

The statement paid tribute to his decades-long acting career and his long-standing charitable work. Instead of flowers, donations are requested for the fund of the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and for the Caregiver Resources of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

Diagnoses not previously made public

It is not known when the diagnoses were made. Stewart had not previously made his diagnoses public.

Lewy body dementia is less common than Alzheimer's. In this condition, abnormal protein deposits form in nerve cells in the brain. Typical symptoms include problems with attention, movement difficulties and hallucinations.

Six decades on stage and screen

Stewart became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966; he had begun his acting career in 1959. In 1971 he made his Broadway debut in "A Midsummer Night's Dream." He gained worldwide fame as Captain Picard in "Star Trek" and as Professor X in the "X-Men" films.

In 2023 he published his memoir, "Making It So." Stewart won a Grammy and two Olivier Awards for his theater work. He was nominated for an Emmy four times and for a Golden Globe three times.