Symptoms of super-rare disorder Marchiafava-Bignami explained
Michael Wright, the actor best known for playing Eddie King Jr. in the 1991 cult classic musical drama The Five Heartbeats, has died at the age of 70 of an extremely rare condition.
His family confirmed in a statement to TMZ that Wright died in Los Angeles on Wednesday after suffering heart failure alongside complications from Marchiafava-Bignami disease, an extremely rare and progressive neurological condition.
His wife, Susan, shared the news on Instagram on Friday, in a post relayed by TV personality Madina Milana. “It is with profound sadness and an unimaginable heaviness in my heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Michael Wright,” she wrote.
What is Marchiafava-Bignami disease?
Marchiafava-Bignami disease is a progressive neurological disorder linked to alcohol use disorder or malnutrition, causing the breakdown and eventual death of tissue in the corpus callosum, the band of nerve fibres connecting the brain's two hemispheres. There is no indication that alcohol caused Michael's death.
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It was first identified back in 1903 by Italian pathologists Amico Bignami and Ettore Marchiafava during an autopsy on a Chianti drinker, after they discovered the middle two-thirds of his corpus callosum had died off.
The condition is notoriously difficult to diagnose, with symptoms including dementia, seizures, tremors, loss of coordination and, in severe cases, coma.
It comes in acute, subacute and chronic forms, and doctors say that if it's caught early enough, most patients do survive, although some are left with lasting brain damage.
Susan's statement went on to detail the scale of what Wright leaves behind, describing him as a husband, father to five children, Manon Wright, Byron Barr, Brittney Briggs, Brianna Barr and Sir Barr, and a grandfather.
“Many knew and loved him through The Five Heartbeats, The Wanderers, V, The Principal, Streamers, and the many other characters he brought to life throughout his remarkable career,” she wrote, adding that his “talent, presence, and contributions to film and television will live on.”
Born in New York City in 1956, Wright made his feature film debut in 1979 as gang leader Clinton in Philip Kaufman's coming-of-age drama The Wanderers, based on Richard Price's novel.
He went on to appear in NBC's science fiction miniseries V, its sequel V: The Final Battle, and V: The Series, playing Elias Taylor.
He also starred opposite Robert Altman in 1983's Streamers, a performance that earned him the Volpi Cup for Best Actor.
A decade after The Five Heartbeats, Wright joined HBO's prison drama Oz, appearing as Omar White across 22 episodes between 2001 and 2003.
How common is Marchiafava-Bignami disease?
Despite being first documented over a century ago, Marchiafava-Bignami disease remains one of the rarest conditions in neurology, with fewer than 300 cases reported worldwide as of 2008.
It's split into two clinical subtypes: Type A, where stupor and coma dominate and the entire corpus callosum is affected, carries a 21 percent mortality rate and an 81 percent chance of long-term disability.
Type B, involving only partial lesions and milder mental impairment, has a 0 percent mortality rate but still leaves 19 percent of patients with lasting disability.
Wright's later on-screen credits included Sugar Hill, Money Talks, Piñero and The Interpreter, as well as the sitcom Rel and superhero series Black Lightning, in which he played Lazarus Prime.
Susan asked for privacy in the wake of his death, writing: “We respectfully ask the public, members of the media, and those who knew and admired Michael to please allow our family the privacy and grace to grieve during this incredibly difficult time.”
Thomas Bamford