Written by: Jessica Moser
Edited by: Courtney Myers
This piece was written in collaboration with the 2025 ComSciCon-MI Write-A-Thon.
Dementia is seen as a chronic and eventually fatal condition of the mind, but what if some patients have a related condition that, when treated, can give them their independence back? Danny Bonaduce from The Partridge Family was diagnosed with a “mystery illness” in 2023 that left him wheelchair-bound with dementia-like symptoms. A couple years following that, singer Billy Joel fell onstage and subsequently cancelled his concerts in 2025 due to what he mentioned as a “brain disorder” that caused him to feel like he was “walking on a boat.” What do these two people have in common? They were diagnosed with a condition called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. So, what is Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus and why is it known as “Treatable Dementia”?
Dementia impacts millions of adults worldwide and is thought to have no known cure. However, for an estimated 700,000 to 800,000 of those individuals, the condition may be reversible. Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a neurological condition caused by excess fluid in the brain, can cause symptoms that mimic those of other common disorders such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, and Parkinson’s. Because these symptoms can mimic those often associated with age related disorders, it is estimated that 80% of people with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus remain undiagnosed. This is exactly what happened to Danny Bonaduce, who was told “there is nothing he could do” for his condition: until he found a doctor willing to explore other options.
Although hydrocephalus is typically thought of as a disorder you are born with, it can develop at any age. In older adults, the symptoms are similar to Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s including gait disturbances (shuffling, trouble turning, frequent falls), urinary incontinence (frequent urination, urgency, or incontinence), and memory changes (short-term memory loss, confusion, forgetfulness). It may take years to develop hydrocephalus symptoms that interfere with daily functioning, or the symptoms may occur more suddenly, especially following a medical event such as a stroke.
If a doctor thinks their patient has Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, they will typically order a non-invasive brain scan to determine whether there is excess fluid within the brain. They may also order neuropsychological testing for any changes in memory and a gait assessment to test stability. If these tests indicate hydrocephalus, a patient will undergo neurosurgery to implant a device called a shunt to drain the excess fluid from their brain. As Bonaduce said in an interview about his diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, “The best thing that happened was I had brain surgery. You’d think that’s not that great of a thing, but nope. It’s not that great of a thing to need brain surgery. It’s the best thing you can do if you need it, to get it.”
In up to 84% of patients treated for Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, symptoms decrease over time. By increasing awareness of this condition and its symptoms, we will help inform affected individuals, leading them to seek medical attention to reverse this treatable dementia and allow them to return to fulfilling, independent lives. For Billy Joel, he was able to perform again in January of 2026 following brain surgery to treat his hydrocephalus. Danny Bonaduce has regained his mobility and is able to walk without needing a wheelchair or walker. Bonaduce shared that immediately following his surgery to put in a shunt, he was able to get out of his wheelchair and walk around the hospital.
If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms similar to those in Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, please reach out to your primary care provider. For additional resources, materials, and support, visit the Hydrocephalus Association. To watch the interview with Danny Bonaduce about his hydrocephalus journey, follow this link.
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