Jay Leno requests guardianship of his wife Mavis, she suffers from Alzheimer’s

The comedian filed legal papers Friday to become his wife’s guardian. Mavis LenoThe assets of… according to court records.

A source with direct knowledge tells TMZ…Jay’s wife suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.

The diagnosis, our source says, is the basis for the guardianship… meaning Jay’s wife may not have the means to care for herself.

We saw Jay out in public with Mavis in November, when they were photographed together at a comedy event in Los Angeles.

It’s unclear when Jay’s wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, a progressive disease that begins with memory loss and is the most common type of dementia.

Jay and Mavis have been together for decades… and married back in 1980, after meeting in the 1970s at the famous Comedy Store in West Hollywood.